Magna Carta

The Norman Conquest

• 1066 a man named William, Duke of Normandy landed in England to challenge the throne

• William descended from Viking Raiders called Northmen or Normans

• He fought for control of England after a weak King Edward died

• On Christmas Day 1066 he was crowned King of England

Multiple Choice

Who was William of Normandy's ancestors?

• The Vikings

• The English

• The Romans

• The Franks

The Plantagenet Dynasty

• Last Norman king, Stephen, died in 1154. His nephew succeded him and he became the first Plantagenet king.

• Henry II is remembered as a great reformer. He reduced the power of the barons and established a direct dependency between the knights and the king.

• He established permanent institutions (Westminster).

Henry II's successors

• Richard the Lionheart (1189-1199) -> Third Crusade

• John (also known as John Lackland) -> he imposed high taxes in order to unsuccessfully defend his French territories; the barons rebelled and occupied London; John was forced to sign a peace treaty called the Magna Carta.

The Common Law

• It was a system based on custom, comparisons, previous cases and previous decisions (judges do not use the law as a primary sourche, such as in civil law, but they make law themselves).

• Trial by jury: to resolve land dispute, he created local juries.

Poll

Henry II is the founder of the English Common Law. What do you think the term "common" refers to?

• There were not judges and everyone could practise law.

• It was the same thoughout the country.

• It was based on common beliefs.

​Video:

https://youtu.be/7xo4tUMdAMw​

• ​Absolute Monarchy (the Monarch was above any local laws and their rulings were followed without question.)

• King John

  • Became King of England in 1199, ruled over England and territories in Western France claimed by his family

  • In 1204, the King of France regained control of Western France

  • King John significantly raised taxes to fund wars returning these territories, causing local barons to be malicious in their tax collection. If the barons could not pay, their estates would be taken.

  • King John ruled with fear, often holding people hostage and granting inhumane punishments.

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​Before the Magna Carta (King John)

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• ​No longer wanting to pay these high taxes, the barons renounced their loyalty to King John and rebelled (May 1215)

• On May 17, the barons overtook London, forcing the King to listen to their demands

• In June of 1215, the barons and the King met at Runnymede and drafted the Magna Carta

• After doing so, the barons declared peace and reinstated their allegiance to King John

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​The Rebellion and the Creation of the Magna Carta

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Multiple Choice

Why did King John raise taxes so much?

• To build a new castle in England

• To better serve the needs of his people

• To further expand his material wealth

• To fund war in hopes of regaining Western France

Multiple Choice

What led to King John agreeing to meet with the barons?

• The death of King John's son

• The barons overtaking London

• The French Army invading England

• Mass amounts of peasants dying from starvation

• ​While the Magna Carta mainly served as a peace treaty between the barons and King John, some clauses from the document were radical at the time and still apply today. These include:

  • Granting all free citizens the right to own property

  • No taxation without representation (no excessive taxation)

  • The right to a fair trial and due process under the law​

​Notable Clauses

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following was NOT a notable clause of the Magna Carta?

• All free citizens can own property

• No taxation without representation

• All free citizens are exempt from taxation

• Due process under the law

• ​Within just three months of its creation, Pope Innocent III nullified the Magna Carta, plunging England into Civil War.

• Despite its short life, the Magna Carta set the foundation for other countries to declare basic human rights.

• The U.S. Constitution

  • Many articles of the Constitutio​n were inspired by the Magna Carta, such as the freedom of the people, the right to a fair trial, fair taxation, and separation of the church and state.

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​After the Magna Carta

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Multiple Choice

How long did the Magna Carta exist before it was nullified by the Pope?

• Three months

• Three weeks

• 11 months

• 8 years

HABEAS CORPUS

He also agreed that “no free man” could be jailed except by the lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land. This idea eventually developed into a key part of English common law known as habeas corpus, or body of proof. ​

In many ways, Magna Carta only protected the rights and privileges of nobles. However, as time passed, the English people came to regard it as one of the foundations of their rights and liberties.​

Multiple Select

No "free man" can be jailed, except by the judgement of...

• his peers

• his family

• his neighbors

Multiple Choice

Habeas Corpus means....

• you did it.

• body of proof.

• help your friend.

• hold court.