What is the significance of the Magna Carta?

The Magna Carta, signed in 1215, is significant primarily because it was one of the first documents to limit the powers of a monarch and establish certain legal rights for the citizens. By placing the king under the rule of law, the Magna Carta introduced the idea that even the sovereign is not above the law, a foundational principle that would later influence many democratic governments and legal systems around the world.

This charter included provisions that protected the rights of the barons and laid the groundwork for future legal reforms. It articulated principles such as due process and the idea of a fair trial, which are cornerstones of modern legal rights. The influence of the Magna Carta has been profound, serving as an inspiration for subsequent documents like the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which continue to defend individual freedoms and limit governmental power.

The other options, while historically relevant, do not capture the Magna Carta's fundamental contribution to legal and governance frameworks that prioritize citizens' rights and limit governmental authority.