Magna Carta

							                                               Magna Carta
Grade Level: 10th
United States History

Time Required: One 50 minute class period

Lesson Summary:
        This lesson introduces the Magna Carta to students studying early American History. This lesson will
allow students to compare and contrast the United States Bill of Rights and Constitution and the Magna Carta.

Objectives:
      The student should be able to:
      1. Identify the rights guaranteed by the Magna Carta.
      2. Compare and contrast the U.S. Bill of Rights, Constitution and the Magna Carta.
      3. Analyze primary sources.


                                            BINARY PAIDEIA
                   British                 17th and 18th Centuries                America
          Constitutional Monarchy               Constitutional               Democratic Republic
              King in Parliament              Politeia/Regime               Continental Congress/
                                                                                  President
         House of Lords/ Aristocracy      Politeuma/Ruling Class            White male landowners
                   Gentry
          The Glorious Revolution          Paideia/What makes a           Republicanism and charters
                                             society what it is
                   loyalty                  Virtue/ The highest                    patriotism


Key Terms:
Common Law              noun    A unified body of law formed from rulings of England's royal judges that serve
as the basis for the law in many English-speaking countries today, including the United States.

Nobles                 adjective       Possessing hereditary rank in a political system or social class derived
from feudalistic stage of a country's development.

Magna Carta          noun          "Great Charter" a document guaranteeing basic political rights in England,
drawn up by the nobles and approved by King John in 1215.

Parliament              noun       A body of representatives that makes laws for a nation.



                             (c) Copyright American Institute for History Education, L.L.C.
Historical Background for the Teachers:
        After the Norma conquest of England in 1066, the English king has become the most powerful monarch
in Europe. But after King John of England was crowned in 1199, a series of stunning failures on his part led the
English nobles to revolt and place checks on the king's power.
        King John, traditionally pictured as a monster, deliberately chose the path of evil and took pleasure in
following it. His private morals were lacking: he was cruel, vindictive, and treacherous. He continually twisted
the rights of the crown to his own advantage; he provoked the rebellion that resulted in the Magna Carta.
        Some of John's problems stemmed from his own personality. He was cruel to his subjects and tried to
squeeze money out of them. He alienated the Church and threatened to take away town charters guaranteeing
self-government. John raised taxes to an al-time high to finance his wars. His nobles revolted. One June 15,
1215, they forced John to agree to the most celebrated document in English history, The Magna Carta.

Anticipatory Set:
Founding of American Democracy

Do Now Activity:
Ask students to define key terms in notebook.

Procedures:
I. Previous night's homework:
        a. Ask students to review previous notes about the Bill of Rights and Constitution.
        b. Ask students to answer this question, in writing independently: "Why do you think U.S. founding
fathers looked to English documents when writing our constitution?

II. Day of Lesson Procedures.
        a. Have students' complete Do Now activity.
        b. Then allow them to share their answers with a partner.
        c. Ask students to share their answers with the group and record their answers on the board or overhead.
        d. Review the Binary Paideia with the students.
        e. Inform students they will be learning about one of England's most important documents.
        f. Introduce information about King John and the Magna Carta.
        g. Divide students into groups of four. Have two of the students review the Magna Carta and list rights
they recognize. Have the other two students review the Bill of Rights and Constitution and list rights. Groups
will then make a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting rights from the Magna Carta and those guaranteed to
U.S. citizens.



Homework:
Students will begin working on extension activity.

Assessment:
Students will write a five paragraph essay comparing and contrasting the Magna Carta and the United States
Bill of Rights.

Extension:
Students will create a book of newspaper clippings of articles that identify rights mentioned in the Magna Carta.

Resources:
www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/
                           (c) Copyright American Institute for History Education, L.L.C.
Author of Lesson:
Amanda Causey
Tavessa Wilson




                    (c) Copyright American Institute for History Education, L.L.C.