Magna Carta and its Legacies: Freedom and protest

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/magna-carta

Introduction

### Course Review: Magna Carta and its Legacies: Freedom and Protest **Overview** The Coursera course, "Magna Carta and its Legacies: Freedom and Protest," is an in-depth exploration of the historical significance and modern implications of the Magna Carta. Offered by eminent scholars, this course critically examines the ways in which this iconic document shaped legal and political thought from the 13th century to the present day. With a skillful blend of historical analysis and modern interpretations, the course aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of Magna Carta's legacies in various cultural and legal contexts. **Course Structure** The course is structured over six weeks, each focusing on different epochs and interpretations of Magna Carta: #### Week One: Magna Carta, Parliament and the Law (1215-1300) The introductory week dives into the events surrounding the Magna Carta at Runnymede in 1215. Through engaging video lectures, students will explore the revolutionary ideas encapsulated in the document and engage in discussions about King John's reputation and the radical nature of the Magna Carta at the time. #### Week Two: The Reinvention of Magna Carta (1508-1642) Led by Professor Justin Champion, this week examines the resurgence of interest in Magna Carta during the Renaissance. Students will learn how the document influenced legal thinking and was leveraged in political debates, particularly by figures like Sir Edward Coke. #### Week Three: From Civil War to Revolution (1642-1776) Continuing with Professor Champion, students will analyze how the Magna Carta became a touchstone in the struggles of the English Civil War and the American Revolution. The course investigates how its principles were interpreted and transformed over time. #### Week Four: Magna Carta and the Wider World: Constitution Making Dr. Emm Johnstone leads this week, where students will gain insights into the various ways Magna Carta influenced global debates around property rights and legislative reforms in the 19th and 20th centuries. The focus on historical narratives stimulates critical engagement with conflicting accounts. #### Week Five: Commemoration and Memorialisation Exploring the themes of public history, Dr. Graham Smith discusses how historical memory and memorialisation of the Magna Carta have influenced contemporary politics and societal values. Students will analyze how different narratives are communicated through memorials. #### Week Six: A History of an Argument (c.1800-2015) The course concludes with a critical examination of how interpretations of Magna Carta have evolved, assessing its perceived effects and relevance in modern contexts. Dr. Smith encourages students to build their historical arguments through analysis and peer discussion. **Learning Outcomes** By the end of the course, students will have developed a critical understanding of the historical context of the Magna Carta, its reinventions, and its influence on contemporary legal and political thought. Skills such as research, interpretation of historical texts, and online debate engagement are emphasized throughout the course. **Course Highlights** - Engaging video content featuring expert historians. - Interactive discussions that foster critical thinking and diverse perspectives. - A rich array of essential readings, providing a solid foundation for understanding the course themes. - Historical analysis of significant social and political movements influenced by Magna Carta. **Recommendation** This course is highly recommended for anyone with an interest in history, law, or political science. Whether you are a student, a history enthusiast, or a professional seeking to understand the roots of modern freedoms and rights, "Magna Carta and its Legacies: Freedom and Protest" offers valuable insights and a unique academic experience. Enrolling in this course will not only enrich your understanding of an essential historical document but will also provide a critical lens through which to view current social and political issues around freedom and protest globally. In conclusion, the course serves as a testament to the enduring importance of the Magna Carta, proving it remains a significant document whose influence resonates throughout history and into our modern lives. Don't miss out on the opportunity to delve deeply into this critical examination of freedom and resistance through the lens of one of history's most pivotal agreements.

Syllabus

Week One | Magna Carta, Parliament and the Law 1215-1300

Welcome to Magna Carta and its legacies: Freedom and Protest. Our focus this week is Magna Carta in the 13th century. In the video lectures we'll be exploring the importance of Runnymede, the events of June 1215. The ideas contained within the great charter, and the story of how the Magna Carta, a failed peace treaty, became a permanent and iconic feature of English history. Join us in the forums, as we discuss whether King John was as bad as popular history suggests and debate whether Magna Carta is an extreme, or even revolutionary document.

This week is led by Professor Justin Champion, Professor of Early Modern Ideas at Royal Holloway. The title for this week is The reinvention of Magna Carta, 1508-1642.

Week Two | Learning Outcomes

Gain an understanding of the uses of Magna Carta in the changing politics of the 16th and 17th centuries
Gain an insight into the printed texts of the period in relation to Magna Carta

In this session we will explore:
How the sixteenth century public re-encountered the Magna Carta through new print editions and translations into English legal handbooks
How these print editions informed the development of legal thinking in the Inns of Court, and developed an understanding of liberty and the common law.
You will acquire a perspective on the printed history of texts (1508-1759) that either reproduced the text of the Magna Carta, or used it for specific legal or political purpose.
You will develop an understanding of the radical reinvention of the political significance of Magna Carta in the idea of the ‘Ancient constitution’ by exploring the efforts of Sir Edward Coke both in his legal commentaries and his Parliamentary activities.

Week Two | An Essential Read

As part of the Magna Carta 800th commemorative events Professor Champion has been engaged in an academic debate on the Liberty Fund website. We recommend you read his introduction to gain a grounding in the course themes for the next two weeks.

“Magna Carta after 800 Years: From liber homo to modern freedom”

This week is again run by Professor Justin Champion and is entitled Magna Carta: Civil War to Revolution, 1642-1776.

Week Three | Learning Outcomes
How Magna Carta was used in debates from the English Civil War to the American Revolution
Consider how these ideas crossed both time and space
How historians might identify and begin to analyse relevant publication patterns in respect to the two learning objectives above

This week is run by Dr. Emm Johnstone and is entitled Magna Carta and the wider world: Constitution Making

Week Four | Learning Outcomes

Over the course of this week it is hoped that you will gain a deeper insight and have an understanding of the following:

Knowledge and understanding
A deeper understanding of debates over property rights and land rights in the 19th century
Knowledge of parliamentary reform in the 19th and 20th centuries
Knowledge and understanding of the reasons for remembrance and commemoration
Skills
The ability to engage with the history of ideas and arguments
The ability to interpret conflicting historical accounts of key documents and events
The ability to engage with peers constructively in online debates
AttributesSelf-guided research making use of online databases
Visiting heritage sites and related websites to explore historical connections with slavery

Week Four | Essential task prior to the lectures Please begin by reading Ralph V. Turner’s The Meaning of Magna Carta since 1215, in History Today Volume: 53 Issue: 9 2003

This section of the course is run by Dr. Graham Smith and is entitled Commemoration and Memorialisation.

Week Five | Learning Outcomes

Over the course of this week you will gain a deeper insight and have an understanding of the following:

Knowledge and understanding
To gain a better understanding of public history, including the use of the past in contemporary politics
To develop understandings of memorials and memorialisation as an aspect of public history, including: (a) the use of the past, as well as the historical present, in memorialisation; and (b) The communication and non-communication of different versions of history through memorialisation
To understand memorialisation in the contexts of time, place and space

Skills
Apply a public history approach within historical study and discussion
Identification and application of ideas to inform a case study
Place the productions of public history in their historical contexts
Reading a review article (Glassberg, 1991) and applying it to a different question (monuments, memorialisation and Magna Carta)

Attributes
To develop an empathetic approach to people in the past
Engage with peers constructively in online debates

Week Five | Before you watch the lectures Before you start watching this week's lectures it would be useful for you to have an understanding of what the term 'memorialisation' means. Please follow this memorialisation link to gain a deeper understanding of the term.

This week is again run by Dr.Graham Smith and it entitled Magna Carta: A History of an Argument c.1800-2015

Week Six | Learning Outcomes

By the end of this week’s work, students should have:

Knowledge and understanding
To gain a better and more critical understanding of historical argument and historiography in relation to the impact and reception of Magna Carta in the longer view since the C18th
Appreciate that Magna Carta might be viewed as other than a positive and/or progressive influence in history
To explore in greater depth some of the debates emerging from differing interpretations of Magna Carta, with particular emphasis on the period after the Second World War
To appreciate the ways in which Magna Carta may still be relevant today.

Skills
Critically Read and listen to historical arguments Identify key aspects in historical arguments
Begin to construct historical arguments

Attributes
To develop an open but critical mind to historical argument
Engage with peers constructively in online debates

Week Six | A Recommended Read

One of the leading authorities on Magna Carta is the historian J. C. Holt. He published many works about Magna Carta, with his best known being his book entitled Magna Carta.We've been fortunate enough to secure copyright permission from Cambridge University Press and we recommend you read the following two chapters below.
Chapter 1 - The Charter and its History
Chapter 11 -The Reissues and beginning of the myth
To buy a copy of J C Holt's Magna Carta please follow this link to the Cambridge University Press catalogue