Political and Social Change Magna Carta, Black Death 18-4

Objectives What document did English nobles hope would limit the king’s power How was the creation of Parliament a step toward the creation of democracy in England? Who rallied the French troops during the Hundred Years’ War Why did the Hundred Year’s War cause much more damage in France than in England? What was the Black Death? How did it contribute to the decline of the manor system? Why was is able to spread so quickly through Europe?

Terms and People King John of England signed the Magna Carta, a document that gave up the king’s total power. Parliament was a group of nobles that met to create laws. Joan of Arc was a teenage woman that led the French into battle against the English. The Hundred Years’ War was fought between England and France. The Black Death was a plague that killed millions in Europe.

In May of 1215, forty barons rebelled, formed an army, and captured London. He tried to pay for his battles by taxing the barons. They refused. King John of England had recently suffered defeats. In 1215, the nobles of England forced King John to sign a document called The Magna Carta.

Magna Carta contained 63 promises about what the king could and couldn't do. It also set up a Council of 25 barons to make sure John kept his promises. This was a direct attack on royal authority. John quickly asked the Pope’s permission to ignore the Magna Carta on grounds that he had been forced to sign. John's rejection of Magna Carta caused another rebellion by the barons.

In October 1216, retreating from the Barons and their French allies, John lost all his supplies and treasure trying to cross the Wash River. He was already ill at this time and died shortly afterwards.

The Magna Carta was the first time a set of rules had been written down for the king. 1. The English Church shall be free from royal interference. A £100 limit on the tax barons had to pay to inherit their lands. The king could not sell or deny justice to anyone. The king’s royal forests were to be reduced in size. The king could not force an heir to marry someone of a lower social class. The king had to deport all foreign knights. No one could be arrested on the accusation of a woman. 13. The king must respect the rights and freedoms of the City of London and other towns and ports. 39. That no freeman shall be arrested or imprisoned without a proper trial. The power of the king had been permanently damaged, and no king of England was ever again unrestricted or 'absolute'. Within half a century, England had a parliament to represent the wishes of the barons to the king. Some examples of the 63 demands:

English Parliament video

The Hundred Years’ War was something like a French Civil War. The French had taken over England, and the English king was a vassal to the French king. Through a complicated family tree, the English king thought he should inherit the French Crown.

The dead lay in the streets Carts would come by daily to pick the dead.

The first symptoms of the black plague was a ring of small red spots (usually on the arm). Ring around of rosies Many people at this time believed that diseases came from bad smells, and so they carried flowers. A pocket full of posies Just before death, sneezing would set in. Achoo, We all fall down!