The Magna Carta

King John Born in 1166 in Oxford, England He was called John Lackland because he lost most of his lands in France while his brother Richard the Lionheart had been away on the Crusade

King John John had trouble with the barons * required they pay high taxes * ignored their traditional rights * arrested his opponents at will Barons and nobles believed he was both a coward and a murderer John also had issues with the church * collected large amounts of money from its properties King John

King John John loses war in France and it is the last straw… Barons join forces with the Archbishop of Canterbury Raise an army called “The Army of God” Led by Baron Fitzwater Demand that King John agree to limit his power King John

June 1215 nobles meet King John near Runnymede Nobles insisted that John put his seal on a document called Magna Carta, which means “Great Charter” in Latin Magna Carta was an agreement between the nobles and the monarch Nobles agreed that the monarch could continue to rule King John agreed to observe common law and the traditional rights of the nobles and the Church

The Magna Carta The Great Charter or Magna Carta included 63 clauses Clause 61 came to be known as the security clause because it gave the barons power over the king Protected the nobles and not necessarily the peasants Pope said John was not bound to the Magna Carta.

The Magna Carta John wasn’t allowed to interfere with the Church He couldn’t raise taxes without his barons agreeing Freemen couldn’t be punished without a fair trial Punishment should fit the crime

The Magna Carta’s Importance Magna Carta only protected the rights and privileges of nobles Limited the power of the king and ended the idea of rule by divine right English came to regard it as the beginning of people’s rights and liberties that would lead to democracy

Habeas Corpus “no free man” could be jailed except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land developed into a key part of English common law known as habeas corpus habeas corpus: the legal concept that an accused person cannot be jailed indefinitely without being charged with a crime

A New Governing Body King Henry III removed from throne after he breaks an agreement Replaced with group of representatives Parliament *nobility *church officials *representatives from cities and towns

Parliament’s Powers House of Commons House of Lords Eventually control collection of taxes *could limit the power of the English monarchy Introduce and pass laws King needed parliament’s approval to pass laws Power grew slowly

Modern Democratic Thought Independent judiciaries *system of judges and courts of law Government elected by the people to represent them Extension of parliamentary system Citizens voice their opinions through voting *suffrage – access to vote