Middle Ages Regents Practice Exam 2026 - Free Regents Practice Questions and Study Guide

The Magna Carta can be best described as a list of feudal rights that limited the power of the English monarchy because it was established in 1215 primarily to address the grievances of the barons against King John of England. The document is significant because it set forth the principle that everyone, including the king, was subject to the law. By articulating specific rights and protections for the nobility, it curtailed the arbitrary power of the monarch and laid the groundwork for modern concepts of democracy and legal rights. This was a crucial step in the transition from absolute monarchy to a system where the power of the ruler is limited by law, and it is often viewed as a cornerstone in the development of constitutional governance.

The other options do not capture the essence of the Magna Carta. For instance, it is not merely a journal about feudal society, nor a census of the nobility, and while it addressed the rights of the aristocracy, it didn’t specifically articulate a statement of grievances from the middle class. Instead, it focused on the rights and privileges of the barons, making the correct understanding of the document that it was aimed at limiting royal authority and ensuring feudal rights.