Magna Carta Dbq

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For the first time in English history, the Magna Carta placed limitations on the English King. In 1215 the English nobles created the Magna Carta, also known as the Great Charter, because they disagreed with King John’s style of governing. This document stated the rights of the people, and the King. One of these rights included the right to trial by jury. Today we take the right to trial by jury for granted, but back then the peasants really appreciated it. Another right granted to the people through the Magna Carta said that the King could not raise taxes without the consent of the nobles. Imagine if all of a sudden President Obama would raise the taxes, you would not be too happy; neither would the nobles or the peasants. Habeas Corpus, a very important right that the people had gained, meant that people could not be punished for something foolish such as not being smart, being ugly, etc. …show more content…

Here the nobles forced the king to sign the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta eventually led to the rise of Parliament. Parliament, a place where nobles could have their opinions heard, separated into two houses. One house had the nobles and people in the higher clergy, while the other had knights and burgesses. The way they have split Congress today closely resembles the way Parliament was split back then. The Senate represents the nobles, while the House of Representatives resembles the knights and the burgesses. In 1265, the nobles and Simon de Montfort rebelled against the young King Henry III. Soon the nobles scheduled the first meeting of Parliament, which was held in London. Parliament’s main purpose was to pass or veto laws and to decide on allowing taxes or not. All in all, Magna Carta and Parliament were the first step to representative government and the way we govern our country

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