JUNE 15, 2020: On June 15, 1215—805 years ago today—a document that is known to history as Magna Carta was accepted by King John. Magna Carta, or "the Great Charter," was destined to play an influential role in both English history and the creation of the United States of America.[1] ([link removed])
The events surrounding the initial agreement would never have suggested such lasting influence. After imposing high taxes and enduring a string of foreign policy failures, King John was facing a rebellion by his Barons and Magna Carta was proposed as a peace treaty. “Under duress, he agreed to a charter of liberties...that would place him and all of England’s future sovereigns within a rule of law.”[2] ([link removed])
The initial agreement was a failure and the fighting resumed within months. However, King John died the next year and his son reissued a modified version of the document. As a result, it became “effectively the first written constitution in European history.”[2] ([link removed])
More than 500 years after King John and his nobles reached an agreement, American colonists used Magna Carta as a model for demanding their own liberty. The U.S. Constitution ([link removed]) , the Bill of Rights ([link removed]) , and many state constitutions “include ideas and phrases that can be traced directly to” Magna Carta.[2] ([link removed])
** CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE NUMBER OF THE DAY ONLINE→ ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day ([link removed]) explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology. Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
To see other recent numbers, check out the archive ([link removed]) .
Was this email forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day. ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
============================================================
_Scott Rasmussen is an editor-at-large for Ballotpedia, the Encyclopedia of American Politics. He is a senior fellow for the study of self-governance at the King’s College in New York. His most recent book, ** Politics Has Failed: America Will Not ([link removed])
** , ([link removed])
was published by the Sutherland Institute in August 2018._
-------------------------
Decide which emails you want from Ballotpedia.
** Unsubscribe [link removed]
or ** update your subscription preferences [link removed]
Ballotpedia
The Encyclopedia of American Politics
** 8383 Greenway Blvd., Suite 600 ([link removed])
** Middleton, WI 53562 ([link removed])
** [Facebook] ([link removed])
** [Twitter] ([link removed])
