What are some similarities and differences between the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights?

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History

Irvin Waters

9 December, 10:15

What are some similarities and differences between the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights?

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Clayton Waller · Answer 1

Similarities:

-The two documents are popular in their countries of origin with the Magna Carta being popular in Britain and the Declaration being popular in the United States.

- The documents were both borne out of rebellion; the Magna Carta was first established after conflicts between the King and rebel barons and the Declaration was established after conflict between the thirteen American states and Great Britain.

-The two documents both sought to assert individual human freedoms and rights.

Differences:

- Where the Declaration confirms that power rests with the people, the Magna Carta asserted that power rests with the sovereign until changes through the Six Statutes sought to limit these powers.

- In the Magna Carta the rights of the people are granted by the government while in the Declaration, people's rights are God given. The Declaration was based on universal principles regarding all human beings but the Magna Carta was based on a particular group of people (barons) but which was later changed to the more inclusive term any freeman.