In response to Tom Ginsburg (“Stop Revering the Magna Carta”) and David Allen Green (“The Destructive Myth of the Magna Carta”), Mark Byrnes argues that it’s “OK to celebrate Magna Carta.” Read his argument here:
History News Network | It’s Ok to Celebrate Magna Carta.
King John signing the Magna Carta (1215). Undated illustration, after a painting by Chappel. — Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS
“Magna Carta has everything going for it to be venerated in the United States: It is old, it is English and, because no one has actually read the text, it is easy to invoke to fit current needs.” So true!
Read Tom Ginsburg’s argument de-mythologizing the famous document:
Stop Revering Magna Carta – NYTimes.com.
King John at Runnymede (1215) signing the Magna Carta
Do you need to brush up on your Magna Carta history? The British Museum has made a short video on the Magna Carta. It’s a great overview of the basic story of the document and its legacy.
The British Library currently has an exhibition to mark the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta (Magna Carta: Law, Liberty, and Legacy). One of the exhibit’s curators discusses some interesting things he has learned while preparing the exhibition:
History News Network | From fascism to parking tickets – some odd Magna Carta moments.
King John at Runnymede (1215) signing the Magna Carta
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