What was the Magna Carta?
The Magna Carta, meaning Great Charter, was a document agreed by King John of England in 1215. It said that the king, like everyone else, had to follow the law.
King John was unpopular after losing wars in France and raising heavy taxes. Rebel barons forced him to agree to the charter at Runnymede, near Windsor, on June 15, 1215. It promised protections such as no imprisonment without lawful judgment.
The original charter was cancelled by the Pope within months, and civil war followed. But it was reissued several times in later years, and three of its clauses are still part of English law.
Why it matters
Over the centuries, the Magna Carta became a symbol of liberty and the rule of law. It influenced the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Four original copies from 1215 survive.
Did You Know?
The Magna Carta was written in Latin on parchment. Two of the surviving 1215 copies are held by the British Library in London.