The Magna Carta (AQA GCSE History)

Summary: Why is the Magna Carta so significant?

The Magna Carta is one of the most famous legal documents on earth. It is celebrated by people all over the world and is seen as an important milestone of the way to the establishment of law and order. It meant that, for the first time, nobody was above the law. Not even kings.

Why did King John sign the Magna Carta?

• To stop a civil war, John was left with no option but to sign the Magna Carta

• He did not have enough money to  fight a baron rebellion

Features of the Magna Carta

• The key features of the Magna Carta were to limit the power of the king

• It gave more power to the barons and the Church

Impacts of the Magna Carta

Short term impacts

• The terms only applied to freemen

  • The lives of villeins and peasants who formed the biggest group in Medieval English society, were completely unaffected by Magna Carta 

• John quickly backed out of the agreement, with the support of the Pope, and claimed he had been forced to agree to its terms

• Many historians agree that its impacts were limited in the short term

Long term impacts

• The significance of the Magna Carta has grown over the years

• Many see it as important as it laid down rules and laws that applied to everyone - even kings

• In countries all over the world, it is celebrated as an important step towards establishing freedom, democracy and the rule of law