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The main, or central, idea of the passage is that the Magna Carta set the stage for democratic governments by affirming the rights of citizens to participate in government. How does the detail in bold develop the main idea?

a) It emphasizes the significance of the document's signing by King John
b) It highlights the restrictions imposed on legal practices
c) It underscores the power shift from the king to civic and church leaders
d) It elaborates on the emergence of representative democracy through regular meetings

User Peshmerge
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Final answer:

The detail in bold highlights the shift in power in England from the monarchy to other civic institutions, denoted by the imposition of legal constraints on the king through the Magna Carta. This set the stage for laws that protect citizen rights and laid the groundwork for representative democracy, influencing legal systems worldwide.

Step-by-step explanation:

The detail in bold from the passage develops the main idea by underscoring the power shift from the king to civic and church leaders. This shift is exemplified by the Magna Carta's clear limitation of the king's power, establishing that even the king was subject to the law, laying a foundation for the rule of law and the evolution of democratic principles. Furthermore, the Magna Carta provided for certain legal protections such as the guarantee of trial by jury and due process for nobles, which eventually contributed to a broader legal framework for protecting citizens' rights.

It's important to note that the Magna Carta initially served to protect the rights of the nobility rather than establishing a democracy as we understand it today. However, over time, its principles trickled down and became integral to the development of representative government in England, with Parliament evolving and the prerogatives of the monarchy subsequently diminishing.

The Magna Carta's legacy influenced many subsequent documents, including the U.S. Constitution, which embedded the notion of due process and trial by jury into the American legal system, further exemplifying the document's long-term influence on legal and governmental systems around the world.

User Joshua Angnoe
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