The Magna Carta

A charter of liberties granted by King John of England, 1215

The Magna Carta is a charter sealed by King John of England at Runnymede in June 1215, under pressure from rebellious barons. Though its immediate legal force was brief—Pope Innocent III annulled it within weeks, and civil war followed—it was reissued in modified form in 1217 and 1225 and became a cornerstone of English constitutional tradition. This text reflects its era; a few period terms have been modernised. The charter addressed feudal grievances and royal abuses, not universal human rights, but its language—particularly the clauses on due process and justice—has been reinterpreted across the centuries as a symbol of the rule of law, limited government, and individual liberties. This reader is worth a senior student's time because it examines how a medieval political document became, through successive reinterpretations, one of the most cited foundations of constitutional democracy, and because it asks what it means for a text to carry authority beyond what its authors intended or its words can strictly support.

Band

Red · Complex language and analysis, teens

Length

long · about 1280 words in 4 sections · 1 picture

Source

The Magna Carta, Anonymous · Project Gutenberg

First published

see the About page in the reader

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script

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