5 History 30 A keystone of English and world democracy The sealing of the Great Charter of Liberty, or Magna Carta, represents a crucial moment in British history. Causes : The Magna Carta dates back to the 13th century, when England was ruled by King John <Lackland= who is widely regarded as one of the worst British kings, both for his personality and his failures. During his reign he lost many of his family9s territories in France and, in an attempt to regain them, he started a series of campaigns against the French which required a huge amount of money. Climax : King John began to exploit his feudal rights by raising taxes and seizing the barons9 lands, thus causing a riot that ended only with his surrender in 1215. Result : King John was forced to accept the barons9 peace terms and sign the Magna Carta. This document, originally written in Latin, placed limitations on the king9s powers, establishing for the first time the principle that everybody, including the king, was subject to the law. The charter also ensured that the king could never levy new taxes without the approval of barons, a principle that would inspire the motto of the independence movement during the American Revolution: <no taxation without representation=. Effect : The Magna Carta represents one of the first steps taken in England towards a constitutional monarchy and its core principles inspired many constitutional documents around the world, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). 1 READING WRITING Answer the questions. 1 When was the Magna Carta issued? 2 Why did the British dislike King John? 3 What did King John need money for? 4 Which fundamental principle did the Magna Carta recognise for the first time? 2 READING CIVIC EDUCATION Check the Internet and put these steps in the development of human rights in chronological order, adding the date of each step. a The Universal Declaration of Human Rights ................................ b The Declaration of the Rights of Men and Citizens ................................ glossary to levy: imporre riot: rivolta sealing: ratifica to seize: appropriarsi di Robin Hood King John <Lackland= is generally remembered as the villain from the legend of Robin Hood, in which he is portrayed as a greedy and evil Prince in contrast with the brave and generous character of Robin, the heroic thief who stole from the rich in order to give the poor. c d The US Declaration of Independence ................................ The European Convention on Human Rights e The abolition of slavery in Britain ................................ f The adoption of the English Bill of Rights ................................ ................................ 3 READING VOCABULARY CIVIC EDUCATION Read this text and fill in the blanks with the given words. security " death " restricted " taken " freedom " principles Human rights are the basic rights and 1. ................................ that belong to every person in the world, from birth until 2. ................................. They are based on important 3. ................................ like dignity, fairness, respect, and equality. They apply regardless of where you are from, what you believe in or how you choose to live your life. These rights can never be 4. ................................ away, although they can sometimes be 5. ................................, for example, if a person breaks the law, or in the interests of national 6. ................................. 40