THE LEGACY of the MAGNA CARTA MAGNA CARTA 1215 the Magna Carta Controlled the Power Government Ruled with the Consent of Eventually Spreading Around the Globe

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THE LEGACY OF THE MAGNA CARTA MAGNA CARTA 1215 The Magna Carta controlled the power government ruled with the consent of eventually spreading around the globe. of the King for the first time in English the people. The Magna Carta was only Reissues of the Magna Carta reminded history. It began the tradition of respect valid for three months before it was people of the rights and freedoms it gave for the law, limits on government annulled, but the tradition it began them. Its inclusion in the statute books power, and a social contract where the has lived on in English law and society, meant every British lawyer studied it. PETITION OF RIGHT 1628 Sir Edward Coke drafted a document King Charles I was not persuaded by By creating the Petition of Right which harked back to the Magna Carta the Petition and continued to abuse his Parliament worked together to and aimed to prevent royal interference power. This led to a civil war, and the challenge the King. The English Bill with individual rights and freedoms. King ultimately lost power, and of Rights and the Constitution of the Though passed by the Parliament, his head! United States were influenced by it. HABEAS CORPUS ACT 1679 The writ of Habeas Corpus gives imprisonment. In 1679 the House of Habeas Corpus is a writ that exists in a person who is imprisoned the Lords passed the Habeas Corpus Act. It many countries with common law opportunity to go before a court now applies to everyone everywhere in legal systems. and challenge the lawfulness of their the United Kingdom. ENGLISH BILL OF RIGHTS 1689 This document limited Royal power established the importance of an elected of the rule of law, and protecting the and contained a list of individual rights Parliament who would make laws for rights and freedoms granted by the that were to be respected under the law. the people. Magna Carta. This list drew heavily on the Magna Like the Petition of Right it influenced Carta and the Petition of Right. It listed countries around the world and marked the wrongdoings of the King and also a key step in securing the development US DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 17 6 The US Declaration of Independence Men, deriving their just powers from was the result of a belief that the the consent of the governed.” protections of the Magna Carta applied The drafters of the Declaration of in America. It echoed the ideas of Independence drew inspiration from the Magna Carta as it declared that the work of Sir Edward Coke and the “Governments are instituted among Magna Carta. CONSTITUTIONS The Australian Constitution (1901) The Constitution of India (1949) upholds the rule of law principle that upholds the independence of the the law is made by representatives of judiciary. Section 50 states that “The the people. The Constitution stipulates State shall take steps to separate the in Section 24 that “The House of judiciary from the executive. Representatives shall be composed of members directly chosen by the The Constitution of Fiji (2013) states people of the Commonwealth.” The that the Republic of Fiji is “founded Constitution is the safeguard on the values of ... freedom and the rule of democracy. of law.” UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS 1948 After the horrors of the Second World The UDHR was drafted by War representatives from around the Eleanor Roosevelt, Chair of the UN world gathered to draft a treaty that Commission on Human Rights. She would prevent future wars and preserve was an advocate for human rights peace and freedom. The result was the around the world, and called Universal Declaration of Human Rights the UDHR “the international (UDHR). The UDHR was the first ever Magna Carta for all declaration of the fundamental rights men everywhere.” and values of the entire human race. ICCPR AND ICESCR 1966 After the UDHR other international most well known. treaties were drafted to protect freedom These documents provide around the world. The International a more detailed description Covenant on Civil and Political of the rights described in the Rights (ICCPR) and the International UDHR. They contain echoes Covenant on Economic, Social, and of the freedoms mentioned in Cultural Rights (ICESCR) are the two the Magna Carta.