Q: Hello and nice to meet you! Would you mind telling a bit about yourself to begin the interview?
A: Not at all young fellow. My name is King John, and I am the first and only King of England to have my name because, well, I honestly haven't been very successful. I am a son of Henry II, and ascended to the throne in April of 1199. During my reign so far, despite my best efforts, I have lost land in France, lost the power struggle with the pope, and lost against the nobles. Although I have encountered many struggles, many people think I may have established the idea of a legislative branch of government.
Q: How did the Magna Carta come about?
A: In 1215, many barons become very unhappy with my rule, my extremely high taxes, and my supposed 'violation of rights'. These barons then rebelled against me and I was forced into signing this document we now call the Magna Carta.
Q: What is the Magna Carta?
A: In simple terms, the Magna Carta is an English charter of political rights and liberty of the kings and barons. This document states the many rights of the Barons as well as the limitations of the Kings. This made it clear that no King (even myself) is above the law, and we must follow laws just like any other citizen. This document also brings about the idea of Due Process of Law, which are basically rules the government must now follow in order for a fair and impartial trial to take place. The Magna Carta also states the law of the land, or that people are subject to given rights.
Q: What is Due Process of Law?
A: Due Process of Law is a new idea brought about by the Magna Carta, as I previously stated, and gives the accused legal rights. Due Process gives the accused the right to remain silent, the safety of being unable to incriminate themselves, a lawyer, and many other valuable judiciary rights.
Q: Does the Magna Carta have any alternate names?
A: Yes, very much so. The Magna Carta has been referred to as the Magna Charter, and most often as the Great Charter.
Q: How do you think the Magna Carta will impact English, and more importantly, American history?
A: I believe that although I was forced into abiding by this charter it will have great impacts on government in the future. I believe the introduction of Due Process will play an important role in the judiciary system in the future, as will many other concepts in this charter. Who knows, maybe many of these new ideas will be included in a Constitution or Declaration of Independence that America may have one day!
Thank you very much for your time King John! It is truly appreciated!
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