How the Law Developed: Magna Carta to the Human Rights Act
How rights and the law developed over centuries: Magna Carta limiting the power of the king, the Human Rights Act, and the aims of crime and punishment.
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How the law developed
The rights people have today were built up over hundreds of years. This module looks at key milestones, from Magna Carta in 1215, which limited the power of the king, to the Human Rights Act of 1998, and at how crime and punishment work and what punishment aims to achieve.
Words for rights and law
Learn these four terms before you follow the story of the law.
The aims of punishment
Punishment can aim to protect society or to change the offender.
Each milestone limits power
To reach the top grades, link each milestone to how it protects rights or limits power, and remember that the law keeps changing over time.
Match the milestone to what it did
- Magna Carta
- the rule of law
- the Human Rights Act
- Parliament
- limited the power of the king in 1215
- the idea that everyone is subject to the law
- brought European rights into UK law in 1998
- makes and changes the laws of the country
Match the aim to its meaning
- deterrence
- rehabilitation
- protection
- retribution
- putting people off committing crime
- helping an offender to reform and change
- keeping the public safe from an offender
- giving an offender a fair penalty for the crime
What did Magna Carta do?
What did Magna Carta do in 1215?
- It limited the power of the king.
- It gave everyone the vote.
- It abolished Parliament.
- It created the first police force.
Aims of punishment
Select the TWO aims of punishment.
- Deterrence.
- Rehabilitation.
- Higher taxes.
- Free travel.
Order the timeline
Put these milestones in order, earliest first.
- Magna Carta limits the king in 1215
- Parliament develops to make the laws
- The Human Rights Act passes in 1998
- People defend their rights in court today
Summarise the story
In 1215, _____ Carta limited the power of the king. The idea that everyone is subject to the law is called the rule of _____. In 1998, the Human _____ Act brought European rights into UK law. Punishment can aim to protect the public or to _____ an offender. A fair penalty for a crime is called _____.
Name the year
In what year was Magna Carta agreed?
Spot the two aims
Tap the TWO aims of punishment.
- deterrence
- rehabilitation
- the vote
- free speech
- a fair trial
Which aim of punishment?
Decide which aim of punishment each example shows.
- A tough sentence is meant to put others off committing the crime
- A prisoner is taught skills to help them reform
- A dangerous offender is kept in prison to keep the public safe
Explain the development
Explain how the law has developed to protect the rights of people over time. Use two examples, such as Magna Carta and the Human Rights Act, and say what each one did.
- Name one development and what it did
- Name a second development and what it did
- Explain how these protect rights