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CLAW - Notes For Lesson 1 Part 1

The document provides a history of the concept of human rights from ancient times to the late 18th century. It notes that the idea began with Cyrus the Great of Persia in 539 BC when he declared basic freedoms and equality. This concept then spread to areas like India, Greece and Rome. Key documents that further developed and codified human rights principles included the Magna Carta in 1215, the Petition of Rights in 1628, the US Declaration of Independence in 1776, the US Constitution and Bill of Rights, and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789.

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Princes Emerald Erni
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38 views

CLAW - Notes For Lesson 1 Part 1

The document provides a history of the concept of human rights from ancient times to the late 18th century. It notes that the idea began with Cyrus the Great of Persia in 539 BC when he declared basic freedoms and equality. This concept then spread to areas like India, Greece and Rome. Key documents that further developed and codified human rights principles included the Magna Carta in 1215, the Petition of Rights in 1628, the US Declaration of Independence in 1776, the US Constitution and Bill of Rights, and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789.

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Princes Emerald Erni
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Notes for Lesson 1 Part 1 - History of

Human Rights
 

I. WHEN DOES THE CONCEPT OF HUMAN RIGHTS STARTED?

- It was considered first recognized during the time of Cyrus the Great, the King of Persia
around 539 B.C.

- As Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon, he freed the slaves of the city and declared that all
people had the right to choose their own religion and established racial equality. These and
other decrees were recorded on a baked-clay cylinder in the Akkadian language. (Dela Cruz
and Florendo, 2017)

Cyrus Cylinder

o   A baked-clay cylinder recognized as the world’s first charter of human rights

o   It is translated into all six official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese,
English, French, Russian and Spanish) and its provisions parallel to the first four articles of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article 1- Free and equal

Article 2- Freedom from discrimination

Article 3- Right to life

Article 4- Freedom from slavery

II. HOW DOES THE CONCEPT OF HUMAN RIGHTS SPREAD?


 

- The idea of human rights spread quickly to India, Greece and eventually Rome.

 In here, the concept of the following laws arose:

1.      Natural Law – law of life by which people follow even not formally written

2.     Roman law- law based on rational ideas derived from the nature of things

ü  After which, the following were the next documents that had contributed to the concept of
human rights we are using today:

1.     Magna Carta (1215)

2.     Petition of rights (1628)

3.     US Declaration of Independence (1776)

4.     US Constitution (1787) & US bill of rights (1791)

5.     French Declaration of the rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789)

A.    MAGNA CARTA of 1215

o   Also known as the “Great Charter”

o   Signed by King John of England

o   This is the document that was signed by King John of England under pressure from his
subjects

o   This is one of the most important early influence to the history of human rights

o   This is what led the rule of constitutional law today in the English-speaking world

WHAT WAS THE STORY BEHIND FORCING KING JOHN OF ENGLAND TO


SIGN THE MAGNA CARTA?
o   During his regime, he was then known for violating a number of ancient laws and customs
by which England had been governed – this is the reason why he had his subject rebelled
against him and forced him to sign the so called “Magna Carta”.

WHAT COMPOSES THE MAGNA CARTA?

The following are some of the salient features of Magna Carta:

1.     Right of the church to be free from governmental interference

2.     Right of all free citizens to own and inherit property

3.     Right to be free from excessive taxes

4.     Right of the widows who owned property to choose not to remarry

5.     Principle of due process

6.     Principle of equality before the law

7.     Principle of forbidding bribery

8.     Principle of forbidding official misconduct

B.    PETITION OF RIGHT (1628)

o   This contains statement of civil liberties produced by the English Parliament in 1628 and


sent to King Charles I.

WHAT WAS THE STORY BEHIND THE PARLIAMENT SENDING PETITION OF


RIGHT TO KING CHARLES I?

o   King Charles I had his foreign policy unpopular. By that, the parliament refused to finance
it. Refusal of financing it caused his government to exact forced loans and to quarter troops
in subject’s houses as an economy measure.

WHAT COMPOSES THIS PETITION OF RIGHT?

The following are some of the salient features of the Petition of Right of 1628:
1.     No taxes may be levied without the consent of the Parliament;

2.     No subject may be imprisoned without cause shown ( reaffirmation of the right of
habeas corpus) ;

3.     No soldiers may be quartered upon citizenry; and

4.     Martial law may not be used in time of peace

C.    UNITED STATES DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE (1776)

o   Written by Thomas Jefferson as primary author

o   Approved by the United States Congress on July 04, 1776

o   This declaration was initially published as a printed broadsheet that was widely distributed
and read to the public

o   The ideas of this declaration became widely held by Americans and spread internationally
as well, influencing in particular the French Revolution.

     WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF WRITING THIS DECLARATION?

o   This declaration was written by Jefferson for the following purpose:

1.     To formally explain why Congress had voted on July 2 to declare dependence from
Great Britain, more than a year after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War

2.     To announce that the thirteen American Colonies were no longer part of British Empire

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