How did the Magna Carta influence the idea of due process in England and the United States?

In 1215, rebellious nobles forced King John to seal the Magna Carta, a document that fundamentally shaped the concept of due process in both England and the United States.12

The charter’s influence stems primarily from clause 39, which established that no free man could be imprisoned or stripped of his rights except by the lawful judgment of his peers or the law of the land. This principle asserted that the sovereign is subject to the law, providing a vital defense against the abuse of power.312

In England, this clause served as a foundation for later legal milestones, including the Petition of Right and the Habeas Corpus Act. In the United States, the framers of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights drew directly from these ideals. Specifically, the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments mirror the Magna Carta’s mandate, ensuring that no person is deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.32