What is most influenced by the Magna Carta?

Eight hundred years ago today, King John of England sealed the Magna Carta, a groundbreaking legal document that served as the foundation for our constitutional democracy.

Magna Carta, 1297: Widely viewed as one of the most important legal documents in the history of democracy. On display in the new David M. Rubenstein Gallery. Presented courtesy of David M. Rubenstein. (National Archives)

A new political order

In the midst of ever-increasing conflict between the King and barons of the 13th century, the Magna Carta established individual liberties, forcing the King to recognize the rights of citizens.

Although the “Great Charter” itself was a failure, unable to resolve the clashes between the two parties, it set the standards for good governance in centuries to come. America’s forefathers centered our founding documents on the values of the Magna Carta, inspired by its dedication to the defense of liberty.

"The democratic aspiration is no mere recent phase in human history... It was written in Magna Carta."

— President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1941 inaugural address

Liberty through law

While the Magna Carta itself focused on a list of demands and grievances which are hardly relevant in 2015, the following two principles endure to this day, mirrored in our own Constitution:

"No freeman shall be taken, imprisoned, disseised, outlawed, banished, or in any way destroyed, nor will We proceed against or prosecute him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land."

"To no one will We sell, to no one will We deny or delay, right or justice."

As the cornerstone for the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights, the Magna Carta piloted the idea of asserting one’s rights as an individual. The Fifth Amendment directly originated from this text, guaranteeing due process to all Americans. Ultimately, the Magna Carta’s ideals of freedom and justice have steered America through a prosperous history.

800th anniversary

Celebrating Law Day last month, President Obama reflected on the significance of the Magna Carta and the rule of law in America:

“Centuries ago, when kings, emperors, and warlords reigned over much of the world, it was this extraordinary document — agreed to by the King of England in 1215 — that first spelled out the rights and liberties of man. The ideals of the Magna Carta inspired America's forefathers to define and protect many of the rights expressed in our founding documents, which we continue to cherish today.”

— President Obama

In honor of the 800th anniversary, an original 1297 Magna Carta — one of four surviving copies — is on display at the National Archives. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales made a historic visit to the National Archives to view the document.

The National Archives had a historic visit from HRH The Prince of Wales. The prince saw the 1297 Magna Carta with Archivist of the United States David Ferriero and A'lelia Bundles, President of the Foundation for the National Archives. (National Archives)

Check out some other "This Day in History" posts on:

• The creation of Head Start
• The National Anthem
• The Gettysburg Address
• The White House Easter Egg Roll

The Magna Carta (1215)

Magna Carta, or “Great Charter,” signed by the King of England in 1215, was a turning point in human rights.

The Magna Carta, or “Great Charter,” was arguably the most significant early influence on the extensive historical process that led to the rule of constitutional law today in the English-speaking world.

In 1215, after King John of England violated a number of ancient laws and customs by which England had been governed, his subjects forced him to sign the Magna Carta, which enumerates what later came to be thought of as human rights. Among them was the right of the church to be free from governmental interference, the rights of all free citizens to own and inherit property and to be protected from excessive taxes. It established the right of widows who owned property to choose not to remarry, and established principles of due process and equality before the law. It also contained provisions forbidding bribery and official misconduct.

Widely viewed as one of the most important legal documents in the development of modern democracy, the Magna Carta was a crucial turning point in the struggle to establish freedom.

Petition of Right (1628)

In 1628 the English Parliament sent this statement of civil liberties to King Charles I.

The next recorded milestone in the development of human rights was the Petition of Right, produced in 1628 by the English Parliament and sent to Charles I as a statement of civil liberties. Refusal by Parliament to finance the king’s unpopular foreign policy had caused his government to exact forced loans and to quarter troops in subjects’ houses as an economy measure. Arbitrary arrest and imprisonment for opposing these policies had produced in Parliament a violent hostility to Charles and to George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham. The Petition of Right, initiated by Sir Edward Coke, was based upon earlier statutes and charters and asserted four principles: (1) No taxes may be levied without consent of Parliament, (2) No subject may be imprisoned without cause shown (reaffirmation of the right of habeas corpus), (3) No soldiers may be quartered upon the citizenry, and (4) Martial law may not be used in time of peace.

What did the Magna Carta influence?

Which American document was most influenced by the Magna Carta?