Magna Carta

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/magna-carta

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the document type?Royal charter of rights
2. What is the place of origin?Runnymede, England
3. Why did the barons want the Magna Carta?The barons were upset because the king was taking too much money and breaking their rights, so they asked for a new set of rules.
4. What does Clause 39 say about fair trials?Clause 39 says that no free man can be taken or hurt by the king unless a court decides it is right, which means everyone gets a fair trial.

Rule of Law: The principle that everyone, including leaders, must obey the law.
Due Process: The legal requirement that the state must respect all legal rights owed to a person.
Habeas Corpus: A writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or into court.
Constitutionalism: The idea that government authority is derived from and limited by a body of fundamental law.