What significant impact did the Magna Carta have?

The Magna Carta, sealed in 1215, is a cornerstone of British legal history and a symbol of liberty. Think of it as the first major check on royal power. Before the Magna Carta, the king could essentially do whatever he wanted, acting above the law. Barons, powerful landowners, were fed up with King John's heavy taxes and abuse of power. They forced him to agree to a charter, the Magna Carta, which established that even the king was subject to the law. While it didn't give rights to everyone – it primarily benefited the barons – its core principle of limiting the monarch's power was revolutionary. It meant the king couldn't just imprison people or seize property without due process. This principle of limited government is why the Magna Carta is so important, and why the correct answer is that it limited the power of the monarch. The other options are incorrect because universal suffrage, free education, and women's legal rights came much later in British history, centuries after the Magna Carta.