In which year was the Magna Carta signed?

• A. 1066
• B. 1200
• C. 1215
• D. 1315

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is when a foundational moment in limiting royal power and protecting rights occurred. The Magna Carta was signed at Runnymede in 1215, after tensions between King John and his noble barons. It established that the king’s actions would be bound by law and that certain liberties and protections—like due process and limits on arbitrary imprisonment—could be claimed. Although its immediate effect favored the nobility, its lasting influence grew to symbolize that rulers are not above the law and that rights and legal procedures matter. That historical year—1215—is why it’s identified with the Magna Carta. Other dates refer to different events in English history, not the charter’s signing.