Esercizi

The Magna Charta libertatum

Gap-fill exercise

Fill in all the gaps, then press "Check" to check your answers. Use the "Hint" button to get a free letter if an answer is giving you trouble. You can also click on the "[?]" button to get a clue. Note that you will lose points if you ask for hints or clues!

What is Magna Carta?

Magna Carta, meaning ‘The Great Charter’, is one of the most famous  in the world. Originally issued by  (r.1199-1216) as a practical solution to the political  he faced in 1215, Magna Carta established  the first time the principle that everybody, including the , was subject to the law. Although  a third of the text was  or substantially rewritten within ten years, and almost all the  have been repealed in modern times, Magna Carta remains a cornerstone of the British .

Most of the 63 clauses granted  King John dealt with specific grievances  his rule. However, buried within them were a number of fundamental  that both challenged the autocracy of the king and proved highly  in future centuries. Most famously, the 39th clause gave all ‘free men’ the  to justice and a fair . Some of Magna Carta’s core  are echoed in the United States  of Rights (1791) and in many other constitutional documents around the world.
- See more at: http://www.bl.uk/magna-carta/articles/magna-carta-an-introduction#sthash.6n0oQoUX.dpuf

 

From Magna Charta to Democracy

Matching exercise

Match the items on the right to the items on the left.

Beginning of the Parliament	??? 1689 1529 1512 1918 1430 1653 1629-1649 1215
Voting right according to wealth	??? 1689 1529 1512 1918 1430 1653 1629-1649 1215
Building of the new House of Parliament	??? 1689 1529 1512 1918 1430 1653 1629-1649 1215
The dispute between the King and the Church begins	??? 1689 1529 1512 1918 1430 1653 1629-1649 1215
The clash between Charles I and the Parliament	??? 1689 1529 1512 1918 1430 1653 1629-1649 1215
Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans	??? 1689 1529 1512 1918 1430 1653 1629-1649 1215
A new Magna Charta? Yes, the Bill of Rights	??? 1689 1529 1512 1918 1430 1653 1629-1649 1215
Women vote, at last!	??? 1689 1529 1512 1918 1430 1653 1629-1649 1215

 

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Quiz

1. Where was Magna Charta issued? And when?
   
   1.   France; 1214
   2.   France; 1215
   3.   Italy; 1215
   4.   England; 1215
2. Can Magna Charta be considered a cornerstone for modern democracies?
   1.   Yes, because it sets the principles of equality and the rule of law
   2.   Yes, because it states that only the free men have right to a fair trial
   3.   No, it is too old
   4.   No, since many of its clauses have been deleted or even repealed in the following centuries
3. Can we say that Magna Charta is part of the British political constitution?
   1.   No, because most of its clauses are not effective anymore
   2.   No, because Magna Charta has been replaced by the Bill of Rights of 1689
   3.   Yes: even if many of its clauses are no more in force, it still declares the main principles of liberty and rule of law
   4.   Yes, because it is still in full force
4. What is the fundamental principle stressed in Magna Charta?
   1.   The sovereignty of all the citizens
   2.   The supremacy of law against the arbitrary ruling of the king
   3.   The equality among all men
   4.   The right to elect one's own representative

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