Vocabulary

The Magna Carta King John a fair trial to levy taxes consent

Великая Хартия Вольностей король Иоанн справедливый суд взимать налоги согласие

II. Answer the following questions.

1. When and who was the Magna Carta signed by?

2. What made the King sign the document?

3. How did the Magna Carta limit the power of the monarch?

4. Whose interests did the Magna Carta protect?

5. What is the role of the Magna Carta in the life of British society?

Text 4. Habeas Corpus

I. Read and translate the text.

Habeas Corpus is a document protecting people from unlawful arrests and imprisonment. Under Habeas Corpus, nobody can be arrested without a warrant and put into prison without trial.

Habeas Corpus became a law in 1679 after the incident with Alice Robinson. She was arrested and put into prison for violent behaviour and swearing. In prison, she was treated cruelly in spite of the fact that she was pregnant. The public protested against such treatment of the offender. So, it led to the passing of the Habeas Corpus Act in Parliament in 1679.

Habeas Corpus guarantees the right of the offender to be tried as soon as he or she is arrested.

Vocabulary

Habeas Corpus imprisonment swearing treatment warrant to pass an act

Хабеас Корпус тюремное заключение ругань обращение (с к.-либо) ордер (на арест) принять закон

II. Answer the following questions.

1. What kind of document is Habeas Corpus?

2. After what incident did Habeas Corpus become a law?

3. What was the public’s reaction to the incident?

4. Under Habeas Corpus, can a person be held in prison for a long time before trial?

Text 5. The Bill of Rights

I. Read and translate the text.

The Bill of Rights is one of the most important constitutional papers of Great Britain. It greatly increased the role of Parliament and prevented the King from abusing his power. Under the Bill of Rights, the monarch could not levy taxes without the consent of Parliament. It made the King observe the laws that were adopted by the British Parliament.

The Bill of Rights proclaimed the right to the jury. It also outlawed cruel punishments.

The Bill of Rights is a constitutional paper of great importance. It contained a number of ideas concerning law and state which were later reflected in the American Declaration of Independence, the American Constitution and the American Bill of Rights. So, all these American documents were influenced by the ideas of the Bill of Rights which was adopted in Britain in 1689.

Vocabulary

the Bill of Rights to increase to abuse to observe to adopt jury to outlaw Declaration of Independence

Билль о правах усилить злоупотреблять соблюдать принимать суд присяжных объявить вне закона Декларация независимости

II. Answer the following questions.

1. What important role did the Bill of Rights play?

2. How exactly were the powers of the monarch limited by Parliament?

3. What American documents of great importance were influenced by the Bill of Rights?

Text 6. Napoleon's Code

I. Read and translate the text.

Napoleon, the emperor of France, was the first to refine and reorganize the diverse legal systems of his country. As a result, the Code adopted in 1804 was called Napoleon's Code.

Napoleon was not a lawyer, but his code was a success. In Napoleon's Code, all citizens were treated as equals. Besides, the code was written in a clear language. Formerly, all laws were written in Latin, and only lawyers could understand them. As for Napoleon's Code, it could be easily read and understood not only by scholars, but by ordinary people, too.

Napoleon's Code had a great influence on European legal systems. Many principles of his code are still in force today.