King John and the Magna Carta

Was King John really bad? We answer this question and more, in this playlist on King John and the Barons’ revolt which led to the sealing of Magna Carta. Videos in this playlist examine the causes, clauses and consequences of Magna Carta.

It will be especially useful to complement teaching of Part 2 of AQA’s Power and the People module, the c. 1000-1845 topic of OCR Power: Monarchy and Democracy and EdExcel’s British Depth Study option B2 The Reigns of King Richard I and King John, 1189-1216.

Additional Resources

UK Parliament

The UK Parliament education webpages include a short video on Magna Carta and how it affects our rights today. It is aimed at ages 7 to 14.

The UK Parliament Living Heritage pages also have a short video on Magna Carta, De Montfort and the emergence of Parliament. A series of short accessible describes the background to the sealing of Magna Carta, its significance and its legacy.

The British Library

The British Library website has a huge range of resources for teaching Magna Carta at all levels. These webpages include multiple videos including an animation, student activities and teaching notes, and a range of short blog articles.

BBC Teach

Magna Carta is the topic of one of BBC Teach’s ‘Hunting for History’ videos aimed at KS3.

Magna Carta Legacy

The Magna Carta Legacy website explores the international legacy of Magna Carta, with case studies from Australia, Fiji and India.

Salisbury Cathedral

Salisbury Cathedral produced a set of six-hour long teaching sessions on Magna Carta and its legacy aimed at KS3.

The Magna Carta Project

The Magna Carta project website hosts school resources aimed at KS2 and KS3. These include worksheets and resource packs.

Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law

For the 800^th anniversary of Magna Carta, the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law produced this resources pack, including lesson plans, print outs and notes for teachers.