Throughout history there has always been a struggle for power between absolute rulers and the people and somewhere in the middle they compromise at democracy. In the past the people have written documents to that limited the of the king and obtain their natural rights. The Magna Carta became known as one of the first documents to ever degrade the power of a king. Following the Magna Carta came the Petition of Rights, this to limited the strength of the king. Succeeding the Petition of Rights, came the founding of the Bill of Rights. Without boundaries a ruler will abuse his power over the people. Therefore in order for a ruler to lead a democratic government he must have boundaries and regulations to abide by.
             The Magna Carta became the first stepping stone to a constitutional monarchy in England. The need for this document came about when King John neglected the people's rights. On June 15,1215, King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta. Thereby, when King John signed the Magna Carta his power demarcated and his authority lessened. The Magna Carta stated "We have also granted to all free men of our realm, on the part of ourselves and our heirs forever; all the subjoined liberties, to have and to hold, to them and to the heirs, from us and from our heirs" (Magna Carta sec1). This passage said that people have the right to liberty at all time and the king nor any other person could take that right away. The Magna Carta also dealt with the court and justice system. It declared "To none will we sell, to none deny or delay, right or justice" (Magna Carta sec 40). It also pronounced" if any on shall have been dissiezed by us, or removed, without a legal sentence of his peers, from his lands, castles, liberties or lawful right, we shall straight way restore them to him."(Magna Carta sec52). This document was only the first of three document to limit the kings power.
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