EthosWith the Magna Carta, it's all about who you know. It gets its power from who agreed to it (and who stamped it at the bottom). The opening lines list a bunch of rich and powerful English celeb...

Consider Yourself LuckyThe original Magna Carta not only didn't really have an organizational structure, but it was also written in highly abbreviated Medieval Latin. Yeah, that's the language you...

Magna Carta is Latin for Great Charter, distinguishing it from all other not-so-great charters. They didn't actually call it that in 1215 when it was originally written, but the term was used for l...

The beginning of the Magna Carta is basically a list of the important figures that were there when it was written. It begins with:JOHN, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of...

The closing line is actually a big blob of beeswax and resin plopped onto the parchment, then smooshed down with the royal seal and left to dry. That's how they signed thing back in the olden daysâ...

(6) Tree Line The Magna Carta's a whopping eight hundred years old and unless you're an expert on medieval taxes—are you? you're our hero—you'll need the glossary to help explain a few antiquat...

In-Text ReferencesHistorical and Political ReferencesJOHN, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and Count of Anjou (Preamble.1)Stephen, archbishop o...

In 1976 the British Parliament offered to loan the U.S. a copy of the 1215 Magna Carta to celebrate the U.S. bicentennial. However, Congress rejected the proposal 219 to 167. When asked why, many c...