Magna Carta Day, June 15, commemorates the signing of the Great Charter that limited the power of the English monarch's reigns.
Although the Magna Carta came about after barons revolted against King John's taxes and feudal law, it outlined specific rights and privileges that previous documents had ignored. King John signed the document at Runnymede on June 15, 1215.
Some of the weight of due process written into our legislation today comes from the following articles published in the Magna Carta over 800 years ago. Basic principals set forth in 1215 are both basic principals set forth in 1215: trials by a jury of our peers and compensation for commodities confiscated for national needs.
The Magna Carta's architecture inspired the creation of significant documents that govern the modern world. The English Bill of Rights was signed in 1689, restricting the reign of the monarchy's reign until again, and 13 articles specifically outlined freedoms. The style and the concepts harken back to the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta provided the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and several states' constitutions all relied on the Magna Carta for direction.
Learn more about the Magna Carta by visiting The Magna Carta Project or visiting one of the four remaining copies. Two at the British Library and one in Lincoln Cathedral are located, one at the British Library and one in Lincoln Cathedral. The fourth copy of Salisbury Cathedral in Runnymede, where King John agreed to the terms of the document. Every year in honor of the day, the museum hosts a festival. On social media, use #MagnaCartaDay to post.
History
Magana Carta Day has been commemorated for generations. However, there is no official recognition of the day. In fact, there was a formal prohibition of the day in 1947. You can find out more about it at the National Archives of the United Kingdom's website.
