A Brief History of the Magna Carta Author:Geoffrey Hindley In 1215, the barons of England forced King John to sign a revolutionary document that would change the political landscape of Britain and beyond for the next 800 years. In its limitations of the powers of the crown, the Magna Carta is viewed as the forerunner to the American Constitution and its echoes can also be found in the struggles of most ... more »of the contemporary liberal nations.« less