Q.1 In which year was the Magna Carta signed?
1215
1066
1314
1415
Explanation - The Magna Carta was signed in 1215 by King John of England, limiting the powers of the king and establishing certain legal protections for subjects.
Correct answer is: 1215
Q.2 Who was the king of England forced to sign the Magna Carta?
King Richard I
King John
King Henry II
King Edward I
Explanation - King John faced rebellion from his barons due to heavy taxation and military failures, forcing him to sign the Magna Carta in 1215.
Correct answer is: King John
Q.3 Which group primarily forced King John to sign the Magna Carta?
Commoners
Church officials
Barons
Knights
Explanation - The Magna Carta was a result of the barons’ revolt against King John, who sought to protect their rights and limit royal authority.
Correct answer is: Barons
Q.4 The Magna Carta is considered a foundational document for which concept?
Absolute monarchy
Democracy
Rule of law
Divine right of kings
Explanation - Magna Carta established that everyone, including the king, is subject to the law, laying the foundation for constitutional governance.
Correct answer is: Rule of law
Q.5 Which article of the Magna Carta dealt with protection from illegal imprisonment?
Article 12
Article 39
Article 21
Article 50
Explanation - Article 39 stated that no free man shall be imprisoned or punished except by lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land.
Correct answer is: Article 39
Q.6 Which of these was NOT a consequence of the Magna Carta?
Limiting the king’s power
Strengthening feudal barons
Creating a Parliament immediately
Protection of property rights
Explanation - The Magna Carta did not establish Parliament directly; it limited the king’s power and laid groundwork for future parliamentary developments.
Correct answer is: Creating a Parliament immediately
Q.7 What was the primary reason King John agreed to sign the Magna Carta?
To avoid a civil war
To gain more land
To impose taxes on the church
To expand the army
Explanation - King John faced rebellion from his barons, and signing the Magna Carta was a political necessity to prevent civil war.
Correct answer is: To avoid a civil war
Q.8 Which institution in England emerged gradually as a result of the Magna Carta’s influence?
The Royal Court
Parliament
Church councils
Guilds
Explanation - The Magna Carta influenced the rise of representative institutions like Parliament, where the king was expected to consult with nobles.
Correct answer is: Parliament
Q.9 Which principle of governance was strengthened by the Magna Carta?
Absolute monarchy
Checks on royal authority
Hereditary rights
Military conscription
Explanation - Magna Carta limited the king’s arbitrary power and required consultation with the barons for decisions like taxation.
Correct answer is: Checks on royal authority
Q.10 Which English king reissued the Magna Carta several times after 1215?
Henry III
Edward I
Richard I
John
Explanation - King Henry III reissued the Magna Carta multiple times in the 13th century to gain support from barons and legitimize his rule.
Correct answer is: Henry III
Q.11 The term 'Magna Carta' literally means:
Great Charter
King’s Law
Royal Decree
Law of the Land
Explanation - 'Magna Carta' is Latin for 'Great Charter,' highlighting its significance as a fundamental document.
Correct answer is: Great Charter
Q.12 Which later political document was heavily influenced by the Magna Carta?
English Bill of Rights
Napoleonic Code
U.S. Constitution
Code of Hammurabi
Explanation - The Magna Carta’s principles of due process and rule of law influenced constitutional documents like the U.S. Constitution.
Correct answer is: U.S. Constitution
Q.13 Which group gained legal recognition and protection through the Magna Carta?
Serfs
Free men
Women
Slaves
Explanation - Magna Carta granted legal protections mainly to 'free men' and barons, though serfs remained largely under feudal control.
Correct answer is: Free men
Q.14 What was the role of the Church in the signing of the Magna Carta?
They opposed it
They mediated the agreement
They drafted the document
They were unaffected
Explanation - The Church, particularly Archbishop Stephen Langton, helped mediate between King John and the barons to draft the Magna Carta.
Correct answer is: They mediated the agreement
Q.15 Which system of government was challenged by the Magna Carta?
Feudal monarchy
Parliamentary democracy
Republic
City-state governance
Explanation - The Magna Carta limited the unchecked powers of the feudal monarchy and promoted the principle of accountability.
Correct answer is: Feudal monarchy
Q.16 Which financial demand of King John led to the barons’ rebellion?
Heavy taxation
Land redistribution
Church tithes
Military conscription
Explanation - King John imposed high taxes to fund wars, angering the barons and leading to the Magna Carta revolt.
Correct answer is: Heavy taxation
Q.17 The Magna Carta influenced which of these modern legal concepts?
Trial by jury
Censorship laws
Divine rights of kings
Absolute monarchy
Explanation - The Magna Carta introduced protections like lawful judgment by peers, laying the groundwork for trial by jury.
Correct answer is: Trial by jury
Q.18 Which of the following was a long-term political impact of the Magna Carta?
Strengthened royal absolutism
Rise of constitutional monarchy
Abolition of monarchy
Immediate democracy
Explanation - Over centuries, the Magna Carta contributed to the evolution of constitutional monarchy in England.
Correct answer is: Rise of constitutional monarchy
Q.19 The Magna Carta is an early example of what type of document?
Religious edict
Charter of liberties
Military treaty
Taxation decree
Explanation - It was a charter establishing certain liberties and limitations on royal power.
Correct answer is: Charter of liberties
Q.20 Which social class primarily benefited from the Magna Carta?
Serfs
Peasants
Barons
Merchants
Explanation - The barons benefited most, as the Magna Carta limited the king’s arbitrary power over their lands and rights.
Correct answer is: Barons
Q.21 Which historical process did the Magna Carta indirectly encourage?
Centralized monarchy
Development of Parliament
Colonial expansion
Religious reforms
Explanation - By establishing limits on royal authority and requiring consultation with barons, the Magna Carta laid the groundwork for Parliament.
Correct answer is: Development of Parliament
Q.22 Which English monarch formally recognized the Magna Carta as part of the law in 1297?
Edward I
Henry III
John
Richard II
Explanation - Edward I confirmed the Magna Carta in 1297, incorporating it into English statutory law.
Correct answer is: Edward I
Q.23 How did the Magna Carta affect taxation?
King could tax freely
King needed baron consent for new taxes
King could tax only merchants
King could not tax
Explanation - The Magna Carta required the king to seek baron consent before imposing new taxes, limiting arbitrary taxation.
Correct answer is: King needed baron consent for new taxes
Q.24 Which medieval concept was challenged by the Magna Carta’s insistence on legal rights?
Divine right of kings
Feudal obligations
Chivalry
Guild regulations
Explanation - The Magna Carta challenged the idea that kings were above the law, which was a foundation of the divine right of kings.
Correct answer is: Divine right of kings
Q.25 Which group did the Magna Carta protect from arbitrary imprisonment?
Serfs
Free men
Women
Knights
Explanation - The document protected free men from imprisonment without lawful judgment, setting a precedent for legal rights.
Correct answer is: Free men