The Magna Carta
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This classroom activity looks at legacies and how they shape society. It includes short questions on a video about the Magna Carta in Australia and then extends students to consider where the rights from Magna Carta can be seen in modern Human Rights documents today.
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Simple starter activity to get students comfortable with terminology and concepts in the Magna Carta.
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Looking for an easy lesson, try this colouring in story book that tells the story of the Magna Carta
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Celebrate the sealing of the Magna Carta on 15th June by enjoying a lesson and activities about the Magna Carta.
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What is equality before the law and what does the Magna Carta have to say about it. This resources gets students to consider how a King might act that reveals that the laws do not apply to him. It then considers equality before the law in the early colony of Australia with the first civil case of Susannah and Henry Kable.
Activity: The Magna Carta and Equality before the Law
Historic Examples of Equality before the Law
The Magna Carta
Watch the below video on ‘The Magna Carta and the Rule of Law’ to learn how equality before the law and the rule of law ensure equal access to the protections provided by law.
Consider what happened before the Magna Carta when King John believed that laws did not apply to him. What are some of the things he did?
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What mechanisms were included in the Magna Carta to ensure that the law was applied equally and fairly?
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Susannah and Henry Kable and the First Civil Case in the New South Wales colony
Read the Case Summary of Cable v Sinclair [1788] NSW KR 7, the first civil case in the colony of New South Wales.
Fill in the below details of the case:
• The Plaintiff was …………………….
• The Defendant was …………………….
• The Remedy was …………………….
In the Kable’s case, although ____________were poor and illiterate convicts, they were able to sue __________ a powerful ship’s captain.
The couple sought justice for their ________.
The Court was made up of ___ independent persons and after hearing _________________ evidence, the case was decided in favour of the _______.
____________ was ordered to pay damages of £15 for the lost parcel.
The case of Susannah and Henry Kable is an example of equality before the law because ……..
Related Resources
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One page Fact Sheet summarising key concepts about the Magna Carta. Can be used as part of Informed Civics Competition. The Magna Carta introduced the concept of equality before the law, independent judiciary, checks and balances on power and judgement before your peers.
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This classroom activity looks at legacies and how they shape society. It includes short questions on a video about the Magna Carta in Australia and then extends students to consider where the rights from Magna Carta can be seen in modern Human Rights documents today.
Explore Related Topics
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What is the Rule of Law?
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Checks and Balances on Power
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