History Shorts: The Magna Carta (1215)

King John was just a bad monarch. He was incompetent and overbearing. John lost a war in France, lost baronial lands to the French, and crushed the people with high taxes. Finally, the nobles had enough and revolted. They defeated the king and forced him to sign Magna Carta. It marked the first time an English king had his power limited. The document also protected the rights of the nobles. The Magna Carta marked the first step toward British constitutional government and later the American Constitution.
:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfAq0Lp-AmA



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rROhCaTvyLc

King John:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTNe_uJ4cnU


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCMgoDu3WkU