Magna Carta and Its Gifts to Canada

A deep and gorgeous study of the Magna Carta and how it still influences our world.

The year 2015 marks the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, the Great Charter imposed on King John by his barons in the thirteenth century to ensure he upheld traditional customs of the nobility. Though it began as a safeguard of the aristocracy, over the past 800 years, the Magna Carta has become a cornerstone of democratic ideals for all.

0202For 800 years, the Magna Carta has had a formative impact on democracy and liberty, with influence spanning the world. In Canada, the Great Charter has had a unique influence on history and common law. Its legacy includes some of the nation's fundamental laws and defining relationships. This book complements the 2015 Magna Carta Canada exhibition.1302Carolyn Harris teaches history at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. She received her PhD in European history from Queen's University in 2012. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications including the Globe and Mail , Ottawa Citizen , Smithsonian Magazine , and the BBC News Magazine , and she is a frequent guest on television and radio. She lives in Toronto.

Carolyn Harris enseigne l’histoire à l’École d’éducation permanente de l’Université de Toronto. Elle a reçu son doctorat en histoire de l’Europe de l’Université Queen’s en 2012. Ses écrits ont été publiés dans plusieurs publications, dont le Globe and Mail , le Ottawa Citizen , la revue Smithsonian et le BBC News Magazine. Elle est souvent invitée à des émissions de télévision et de radio. Elle habite à Toronto.0402Foreword by the Honourable Andrew Scheer, Speaker of the House of Commons 

Introduction: The Magna Carta at 800 

Part 1: The History of Kings, Barons, and the Commons 

Early Perceptions of Democracy 

 Life in Thirteenth-Century England 

The Making of King John 

Part 2: Magna Carta and the Charter of the Forest 

The Reign of King John and the Coming of Magna Carta 

The Key Principles of Magna Carta 

The Repudiation of Magna Carta and the Death of King John 

The Charter of the Forest: Protection of the Commons 

The Provisions of Oxford and the Development of Parliament 

Part 3: The Decline and Revival of Magna Carta 

The Spread of Magna Carta’s Ideals from Barons to Commoners 

The Decline of Magna Carta

Sir Edward Coke and the Rebirth of Magna Carta 

The Petition of Right in 1628 

The English Civil Wars and Interregnum 

The Bill of Rights and Emergence of Constitutional Monarchy 

Part 4: Magna Carta Abroad 

Canada’s First Constitutional Document: the Royal Proclamation of 1763 

The American Revolution 

The French Revolution 

Magna Carta and Canada’s Confederation in 1867 

Part 5: Magna Carta Today 

The Global Impact of Magna Carta and the Charter of the Forest 

Surviving Copies of Magna Carta 

Magna Carta in Contemporary Canada 

Acknowledgements 

Appendix 1: The Magna Carta 2015 Exhibition 

Appendix 2: The Venues 

Appendix 3: The Durham Cathedral Magna Carta 

Notes 

For Further Reading 

Photo Credits

0802Secondary school and public libraries across Canada should add Magna Carta and Its Gifts to Canada to their collections. Librarians and booksellers will want to recommend this volume to history buffs and civics teachers alike.Canadian Materials0802Lavishly illustrated throughout, Dr. Harris gives a well-rounded history of the document and its creation and guiding principles. She explains the impact of the document right through to seeing it as a basis of the United Nations’ Universal declaration of Human Rights. Of particular interest to students may be the importance of the Magna Carta in Canada’s history through to the present day. As well, Dr. Harris looks at the impact of it on the American and French Revolution.Resource Links0802The book is divided into interesting chapters and is written in accessible language that will transport readers to an era when democracy was just starting to come of age.Montrealfamilies.ca0802An easy read and brief introduction for those who are interested in the main historical developments relating to Magna Carta over the last eight hundred years.Saskatchewan Law Review99CA0403069781459731127.jpg2015021102http://www.dundurn.com/books/magna_ca... Distribution02Y20480124.99CADCAIngram Publisher Services02Y20480116.99GBP0124.99USDUSIngram Publisher Services05US04010020150526