The Magna Carta

The Magna Carta is one of the most famous papers in history. It was signed a long time ago in England in the year 1215. The name means Great Charter. It said that even the king had to follow the law. This was a very big deal back then. Before, kings could do almost anything they wanted. The Magna Carta helped start the idea of fair rules for everyone.

Why It Was Made

A long time ago, England had a king named John. Many people did not like King John. He made them pay lots of money in taxes. He was also mean to many nobles. The nobles were rich men who owned land. They got very angry. They got together and made the king sign a paper. That paper was the Magna Carta. It told the king he had to be fair.

What It Said

The Magna Carta had many rules written on it. One rule said the king could not put people in jail for no reason. Another rule said the king had to ask before taking money from people. It also said that everyone had the right to a fair trial. These ideas were new and very important. Later, other countries used these ideas to make their own laws.

Fun Facts

• The Magna Carta was written on sheep skin, not paper.
• It was signed in a field called Runnymede near the River Thames.
• Only four of the first copies still exist today.

Did You Know?

The ideas in the Magna Carta helped shape the laws of the United States many hundreds of years later.