MAGNA WHAT? For most Americans the Magna Carta is a term for something or other they think they learned about in high school. They may know that it is a document having something to do with government. Most see little connection between their daily lives and some document written in Latin eight hundred years ago. This is the story of the men who wrote the Magna Carta and shepherded it through to acceptance and importance. So why are they important, why is the document important? The world of 1215 was different than our world today when it comes to technology, social structures, communication and many other things. However, there is one thing that really has not changed through history. Human nature is the same now as it was hundreds, …show more content…
Our constitution is a document born out of circumstances and previous events of history. The events of the early 13th century that created the Magna Carta are part of that story, so now we expect that the laws we follow and the rights we enjoy are written down. When one of us purchases something at a store, buys a car, or a house, we have certain assurances supported by law. We have Constitutional protection concerning our property rights. If a local street gang would steal our purchase, that is illegal, and we can expect that the police will try to recover our property and return it to us. If some level of the government tried to take our house away from us for whatever reason, they are prohibited--except by “due process of law”. This idea of protecting property rights from being taken without “due process” is an inheritance we received from the Magna Carta. In 1215 the particulars of how the government took people’s possessions was different than today, but the basic principle is the same. If we should decide to stand up for our rights, we would consult the laws written down about our situation. Magna Carta was an early example of how the King of England was restricted by laws written down. We take these things for granted--and it is a huge blessing that we can do so. It seems like every generation must, however, reassert their roadblocks and barriers against those who would take the property and freedoms away from them. We must restrict the power which the power hungry wish to gain to