What rights are guaranteed to you as citizens of the United States? How would your life be different if these rights were not guaranteed-if government officials could rule however they pleased?

Position in Medieval Society:• Source of stability/leadership• Broad political powers• Leading landowner• Very wealthy

Hierarchy• Pope: supreme authority• Cardinals: pope’s advisers and electors

Powers• Tithe: tax equaling 1/10 of a Christian’s

income• Excommunication: kicking out heretics from

the church, promising eternal damnation• Interdict: Excommunication of an entire region

Law: canon law Problems:

• Nobles appointing friends/relatives to high church positions

• Charged high fees for church services

“The Great Charter”

Struggle for power between lords/kings Resulted in two new kingdoms:

England and France People of England: Anglo-Saxons 1065: Anglo-Saxon king dies English duke takes the throne: William

the Conqueror (1066-1087)• Brought feudalism from France• Laid foundation for strong monarchy in

England

Successor of William the Conqueror 1215: demands that nobles pay

higher taxes to support wars in France

Nobles force K.J. to sign Magna Carta

Protected liberties of the nobles Provided basic outline of rights

• No new taxes without consent of nobles/church leaders

• Juries Significance:

• King must adhere to document or face being overthrown

• Basis for key democratic ideals: limits on executive power