A charter of liberties to which the English barons forced King John to give his assent in June 1215 at Runnymede. a document constituting a fundamental guarantee of rights and privileges. The importance is The Magna Carta, meaning “Great Charter,” is one of the most influential political documents ever written: it is seen by many modern political scientists as the fundamental document for many of the governing laws of the west, including the United States. Originally issued in 1215 by King John of England as a way of dealing with his own political crisis, the Magna Carta was the first governmental decree establishing the principle that all people—including the king—were equally subject to the law. Several of the natural rights and legal protections enumerated in both the state declarations of rights and the United States Bill of Rights descend from rights protected by Magna Carta. A few of these include:
Freedom from unlawful searches and seizures The right to a speedy trial A right to a jury trial in both criminal and civil cases Protection from loss of life, liberty, or property without due process of law
