Magna Carta

About seven hundred and seventy-five years ago, John, King of England, was forced to meet his barons in a riverside meadow, Runnymede, between London and Windsor. Their quarrels had reached such a state that the barons were determined to make war on their King unless he signed a promise not to interfere with them, nor to ask them for more money and services than the law and custom allowed. The King had to give way, and the document he sealed was called Magna Carta, The Great Charter. The Magna Carta seems even more important today than it did in 1215. It has gained importance because those who have fought for liberty and justice against bad rulers have used it as an argument for their causes. The Magna Carta is a foundation stone of our idea of justice and the rule of law. This portfolio and its exhibits relate the story of the Magna Carta and help establish its importance in our modern day society. Included is a Study Guide with reproducible student activities. 6 Illustrated Broadsheet Essays: * King John (1167 to 1216) * Barons and Feudal Lords * Magna Carta: What it was, and was not * The Signing of Magna Carta * King John and History * England in 1215 9 Primary Source Documents: * Facsimile of Magna Carta from Lincoln Cathedral * Translation of Magna Carta * Facsimile of a Charter Roll, 1199 * Facsimile of a Pipe Roll, 1130 * Pages from a Bestiary of the 12th century * King John's tomb (photographs) * Royal Standards from John's reign to today * Costume at the time of King John * Sketch map explaining the story of how King John lost his treasure in the Wash