The Magna Carta was a historical agreement between the king and his nobles written in England in 1215. The document limited royal power by holding the king responsible to the law. The terms of the agreement are the earliest documented influence of modern constitutional law.
Though it has been amended throughout the centuries, The Magna Carta is a direct influence on the development of constitutional law in England, and provides some of the foundation of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Background
John of England was crowned King in 1199 and faced numerous failures both domestically and abroad. Nobles perceived him to be abusing his regal powers and soon rebelled. After numerous barons led an armed force into London, John was forced to acquiesce to their demands. He attached his seal to the Magna Carta on five days later on June 15, 1215.
Lasting Power
Despite being altered extensively throughout the centuries, clauses 36-40 of the Magna Carta explicitly established the right of habeas corpus, a central feature of the American Bill of Rights.
Magna Carta News
- Google News: Magna Carta
- CNN: Magna Carta copy sells for $21.3M (December 19, 2007)
- The copy was purchased as a Sotheby's auction by David Rubenstein, co-founder of the Carlyle Group. Rubenstein later stated his intention to return the document to the National Archives in Washington, where it is displayed next to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.
- BBC News: Charting out the Magna Carta (December 19, 2007)
Magna Carta Blogs and Commentaries
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