King John 1166 -
1216
‘King’ while his brother was away fighting wars
Took taxes to pay for wars
Nobles and commoners united against him
Known as ‘Lackland’ – had no real land of his own
Fell out with the church
Legend of Robin Hood
The Barons were fed up
with the taxes and rules which King John made as they thought
they were unfair
Magna Carta
The Barons wrote down
their rights in this‘Great Charter’
King John was forced to put his seal
on the document atRunnymede June 15th 1215
Magna Carta
Chapter 39:
“No freeman shall be taken or imprisoned except by lawful judgment of his peers or by
the law of the land.”
Magna Carta set out the rights that no one was above the law, including the King, or Queen. It also set out the right to a fair trial with a jury and no taxation without representation. Magna Carta was revised several times and the final version was re-issued in 1225, after King John had died. Two copies of Magna Carta belong to the British Library, one copy is owned by Lincoln Cathedral and one by Salisbury Cathedral. The charter has been used as a basis for the American Constitution and the Universal Declaration ofHuman Rights.
King John 1166 - 1216
Parents: Henry ll and EleanorYoungest of 5 sons
Nicknamed: ‘Lackland’
Brother Richard ‘The Lion Heart’
died in battle in France soJohn became King in 1199
Known as ‘Bad King John’Robin Hood legend dates
from this time
Spent most of his life fighting wars with France
Fell out with the Pope in Rome
Married Isabella or Gloucester, but then carried off Isabella from Angouleme
and married her
The barons were joined by the French and John lost
everything crossing the ‘Wash’ He died in Newark,
possibly poisoned!
Some questions to help you:
• If you could change the world, what would you do?
• What does it feel like to be free?• How do we protect our homes and
families?• What should we do in this country to help
people to be free?• What questions do you have?
IdeasList any thoughts or ideas about what it is like to be free, or what it is like if you are not free.
For example: ‘You need courage to be free’‘It takes a strong nature not to give up’1
1 Quotes from children Monks Abbey and Nettleham schools
Body Percussion
• Create some body percussion patterns which last for 4 beats.
• For example:
1 2 3 4
STAMP CLAP CLAP TAP TAP STAMP
Vocal sounds
• Create some vocal sound patterns which last for 4 beats
• For example:
1 2 3 4
Sh sh K K Bong
Dooby -doo
Percussion rhythms• Play your body percussion, or your vocal rhythm
patterns on an un tuned instrument e.g. drum, wood-block.
• Work in small groups to play the rhythm between you on different hand held percussion.
1 2 3 4
Freedom Chant
• Use sentences and words from your ideas list to create a longer chant.
• Put your ideas into some sort of order.• Use your rhythms, either vocal, body
percussion or on instruments to accompany and punctuate your chant.
• Keep a steady tempo, and speak loudly and clearly.
Create a rap
• Use ideas from the story of King John• He was known as ‘Bad King John’!• Keep your sentences short• Make the lines rhyme• Speak your words rhythmically• Put several raps together to make alonger
piece.• Perform your rap• Add an accompaniment
Composition – rap with backingFeel the beat:Count in 4’