Free levelled English reading practice. Read for meaning first, then use the full Speed Reading tool to time yourself and track your progress.
In 1215, King John of England faced a serious problem. Many powerful barons were angry about high taxes and the king's decisions. They rebelled and forced John to meet them at Runnymede, near the River Thames. There, the king accepted a document that became known as Magna Carta, meaning Great Charter. It did not create modern democracy, and most people in England gained no new rights at the time. However, the charter stated an important idea: the king should also obey the law. Some parts protected the rights of the Church and the barons, while others dealt with justice and property. Later generations gave Magna Carta a much wider meaning. It became a symbol of limited government and legal rights, and its ideas influenced political traditions in Britain and other countries.
