The 2015 Law Day Celebration commemorates the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, the charter which first put limits on absolute power in England and promised things like the right to a speedy trial and protections against unlawful imprisonment. Many of the ideas outlined in the Magna Carta directly influenced our country’s own Constitution, and remain among the freedoms we hold most dear.
A part of the museum’s new Courts in the Community Program, students and teachers can attend one of these great question and answer sessions with real judges, where they will have the opportunity to speak with experts on the interpretation of law and about how the Constitution can affect everyday life.
A History of Law in America Exhibition Tour
Join our education staff for a tour through the museum’s signature exhibitions, Signers Hall, Constituting Liberty, and The Story of We the People. Learn about the how our founding fathers took inspiration from sources like the Magna Carta when developing the laws that would govern American society, then take a closer look at the documents that resulted from their work, and explore how the generations that followed interpreted, and sometime even amended those laws.
Precursor to the Preamble: the Magna Carta and the Constitution
This engaging quiz game puts these two historic documents side by side and tests your knowledge about the ideas in our Constitution, and where they came from.
Mix and mingle with some of the most famous lawyers from American history, like John Adams, and John Marshall.