17. Why was the Magna Carta most important to the development of constitutional monarchy?(4 points)

Question

Responses

It established that all Englishmen had legal rights.
It established that all Englishmen had legal rights.

It ended a rebellion against King John I.
It ended a rebellion against King John I.

It established the legal principle that the monarch was not above the law.
It established the legal principle that the monarch was not above the law.

It created the council of nobles to prevent the monarch from violating rights.

Answer 1

The Magna Carta was most important to the development of constitutional monarchy for the following reason:

• It established the legal principle that the monarch was not above the law.

This principle laid the groundwork for the idea that the monarchy must operate within the framework of the law, which is a fundamental aspect of constitutional governance. By asserting that even the king was subject to legal limitations, the Magna Carta helped to shift the balance of power away from absolute monarchy towards a system where the authority of the ruler is constrained by legal rights and the input of the governed.