How did Magna Carta influence the U.S. Bill of Rights?

The Magna Carta, originally sealed by King John in 1215, served as a foundational inspiration for the U.S. Bill of Rights by establishing the principle that the sovereign is subject to the law and by codifying protections for individual liberties.1

The document’s influence is most clearly seen in the concept of due process. Clause 39 of the 1215 charter, which protected free men from arbitrary imprisonment or victimization without the lawful judgment of peers or the law of the land, became a cornerstone of Anglo-American jurisprudence. This principle directly informed the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, which ensure that no person is deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.21

Beyond specific legal clauses, the Magna Carta functioned as a powerful symbol of liberty and justice. By challenging tyranny, it provided the American founders with a historical model for constitutional governance and the protection of fundamental rights against state oppression.12