ESSAY: “Describe and account for the historical worldwide development of human rights.”
The historical worldwide development of human rights has taken a gradual time to strengthen, and is still continuing. Examples of this are dated as far back as the Ancient Greece and Rome period. The Magna Carta signing and the horrendous ‘Black Death’ also gave individuals perspectives on human rights. More historical philosophers, such as John Locke and many others that followed him set the foundations and ideas of their own based on human rights issues.
Several huge historical events effected the development of human rights. During the Dark/Middle Ages, the church and landowners were very powerful, and controlled peasants to obey and serve. The king during this time could do anything he wanted.
The signing of the Magna Carta in 1215 was due to landowners being concerned that the power of the king was too powerful. This was signed by King John of England, which led to his rights being limited.
In the late 1340’s, the Black Death devastated Europe, killing one third of its population. This resulted in a huge impact in society, and a major consequence was labour shortage. Fewer workers meant that peasants increased in their value, and so did their rights.
After this horrible time, The Renaissance took place, and was a period of prosperity, from 1400-1700. Europe was reborn, and was the time for Science, Art and Literature, and with that, powerful individuals, such as Shakespeare and Da Vinci. Later, in 1789, French writers helped define these rights, which led to the French Revolution. Then, in 1776, after the American War of Independence, a Bill of Rights was finally drawn up. Also, The United Nations established the tradition of democracy in the western world, and also the declaration of human rights which outlines (in brief):
• The right to life, freedom and safety
• The right to equal treatment without sexual, racial, social, ethnic or other...