© Getty Images

The 1215 signing -

In June 1215, under threat of civil war, the despotic King John of England signed the Magna Carta. Little did he know that it was a defining moment in history.

© Getty Images

Political background -

The charter came about as the result of pressure from the country's barons, who had been unhappy for decades at how the nation was being governed.

© Getty Images

Pressure on the king -

For years before the Magna Carta was signed, they had been putting pressure on the king to sign a document that would recognize the traditional rights of the people.

© Getty Images

Initial reading -

An initial draft of the document that would become the Magna Carta was read in 1213, and the final version was accepted by the King John and the barons on June 19, 1215.

© Getty Images

Key document -

The charter was a compromise, but it nonetheless contained very important clauses that would go on to form the basis of Anglo-American jurisprudence.

© Getty Images

Amendments -

Throughout the 13th century, King John's successors would amend and reissue the Magna Carta. The first amendment came already in 1216, shortly after King John's death.

© Getty Images

1216 amendment -

His young son Henry III acceded to the throne and, under threat from King Louis VIII of France who was trying to gain control of England, Henry reissued the Magna Carta.

© Getty Images

Shorter version -

Historians consider King Henry III's reissuing of the Magna Carta as an attempt to remind barons of their allegiance to their rightful king. The 1216 version of the document was considerably shorter than its predecessor.

© Getty Images

1217 revision -

The Magna Carta was then reissued again in 1217, by which time the council of King Henry III had time to properly reconsider each of its provisions.

© Getty Images

Important symbol of resistance -

Although the charter would continue to be revised and reissued throughout the 13th century, already by 1225 it had become an important symbol of resistance against oppression.

© Getty Images

Readings in shire court -

Indeed, excerpts of the charter had been read so many times in shire courts across the land that memorable phrases were invoked in later documents.

© Getty Images

Self-defense -

At the same time, whenever the men of England felt that their liberties were in danger, they would invoke the Magna Carta as an instrument of self-defense.

© Getty Images

Long-lasting implications -

Already in the 13th century it was apparent that the Magna Carta would have long-lasting implications, and there is no doubt that history may have looked very different without it.

© Getty Images

Clause 39, Magna Carta -

One of the most influential clauses of the 1215 version of the Magna Carta was clause 39. It promised far-reaching protections of liberties.

© Getty Images

Verbatim -

Clause 39 of the Magna Carta (1215) reads: "No free man shall be arrested or imprisoned or disseised or outlawed or exiled or in any way victimised, neither will we attack him or send anyone to attack him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land."

© Getty Images

Subsequent legislation -

In 17th-century England, this clause provided the inspiration for two important pieces of legislation: the Petition of Right (1628) and the Habeas Corpus Act (1679).

© Getty Images

Magna Carta in American law -

Then, in the 18th century, when the English colonies in North America were drawing up their own fundamental laws, they also took inspiration from the Magna Carta.

© Getty Images

Constitutional rights -

Indeed, the basic rights embedded in the Constitution of the United States of America (1789) and the Bill of Rights (1791) all echo the Magna Carta.

© Getty Images

Caveat -

Of course, we cannot assume that without this document these rights would not have otherwise come into existence. Nonetheless, the significance of the Magna Carta is hard to overstate.

© Getty Images

Contemporary rights -

Now, let's take a quick look at some of the rights enjoyed by contemporary US citizens that can be traced back to this influential 13th-century charter.

© Getty Images

Fifth Amendment -

First up is the concept of due process. This is enshrined in the Fifth Amendment guarantee that no person shall be "deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law."

© Shutterstock

Magna Carta roots -

The concept of due process has its roots in the previously mentioned clause 39 of the Magna Carta, and is a fundamental concept in American jurisprudence.

© Shutterstock

Sixth Amendment -

Next up we have the Sixth Amendment right to a "speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury." This can be traced directly back to the Magna Carta, which promised assurance of judgment by one's peers.

© Shutterstock

Eighth Amendment -

The Eighth Amendment protection against excessive punishment (it prohibits "excessive fines" and "cruel and unusual punishments") can be traced back to clauses 20 and 21 of the Magna Carta.

© Shutterstock

Taxation -

Then we have the concept of no taxation without representation, which is seen reflected in the Constitution's requirement for revenue bills.

© Shutterstock

Inspiration -

This takes inspiration from clause 12 of the Magna Carta, which restricted the king's ability to levy taxes on his subjects without their consent.

© Shutterstock

The rule of law -

The rule of law, which is a key principle in the US Constitution, was also inspired by the Magna Carta. The basic idea here is that no one is above the law, not even rulers.

© Shutterstock

Limited government power -

And, finally, it should be noted that the general concept of limited government power, which is central to the American Constitution, has its roots in the Magna Carta.

© Shutterstock

Challenging the monarchy -

The 1215 charter was the first successful challenge to absolute monarchical authority, and it paved the way for constitutional government as we know it today.

© Getty Images

Final thoughts -

It seems fair to say, then, that the Magna Carta was a very influential document. There is no telling what would have happened if it hadn't been signed, but certainly there would be a different legal precedent for many of the concepts that underpin modern constitutions.

Sources: (National Archives Foundation) (Britannica)

See also: Strange facts you didn't know about the US Constitution

© Getty Images