Read the section about your document and watch the corresponding video with your group. Complete Task 1 on your handout. We will jigsaw about these documents in 5 minutes!
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta or “Great Charter” was signed by King John of England in 1215. English nobles forced King John to sign the document after they were angered by his imposing of heavy taxes and arbitrary (random) rules. The Magna Carta defined the rights and duties of English nobles and set limits on the monarch’s (King’s) power.
The Magna Carta established the principle of “rule of law” which states that government is based on clear and enforced laws and no one is above the law—even a king.
This document is arguably the most important ever written as it set off a course of events that gave birth to limited government—stating that the government no longer had absolute power in England (Before this, governments could do anything they want!). Over the next few centuries, English monarchs (kings) often ignored or defied the rules set forth in the Magna Carta in spite of the “rule of law.” Even though the Magna Carta said that the monarch had to have Parliament’s (English Congress’) permission to tax, he often ignored their opinions. This struggle led to further actions by Parliament to further limit the power of the monarch.
Most Important: Magna Carta gave birth to Limited Government!
Petition of Right
In spite of the limitations on the monarch’s power set forth by the Magna Carta, kings continued to abuse their power in England. Parliament (English Congress) tried to limit the power of King Charles I by passing the Petition of Right in 1628.
This document prohibited arresting people without telling them what they had done wrong—this would become known as the right of habeas corpus. It also prohibited the quartering of troops—placing troops into the homes of citizens without the owner’s permission. In these ways the Petition of Right further limited the power of the king and reaffirmed that his power was not absolute.
Most Important: Petition of Right established habeas corpus laws and prohibited quartering of troops—limiting the king’s power.
English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights was passed by Parliament in 1689 following the English Civil War. It established William and Mary of Orange as new king and queen of England if they accepted the terms of the English Bill of Rights.
This document reaffirmed the principle of individual rights (rights we all have as human beings and we get at birth) established in the Magna Carta and Petition of Right. These rights guaranteed the right to petition the King, right to bear arms, the freedom from cruel and unusual punishments, and trial by jury. This document finally established the power of the Parliament over the monarch. The king could no longer levy (establish) taxes or maintain an army during peacetime without the permission of Parliament.
Most Important: Established the Parliament’s power over the king and individual rights for citizens.
Part 2
Create a Newspaper Front Page: Must reflect the time represented. The paper is issued the day after the signing of your document, thus it must describe what news might be offered to the public about this occasion. Use the diagram below & fill all space provided.