Magna Carta — Latin for "Great Charter" — was sealed by King John at Runnymede on 15 June 1215 after a rebellion by powerful barons. It established the principle that the king was not above the law and that he could not raise taxes or imprison free men without due process. Although most of the original document has been repealed, the idea it established — that government must operate under known rules — has shaped English and later British constitutional law ever since.
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The handbook highlights Magna Carta as a foundational moment for the rule of law and for individual liberty. It is the answer to several common test questions: which document first restricted the powers of the king, what year was Magna Carta sealed, and where the sealing took place.
You do not need to memorise the clauses. You do need to know the year (1215), the king (John), the location (Runnymede on the Thames) and the broad significance: the law applies to everyone, including the monarch.
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