Declaration Of Independence Research Paper

611 Words3 Pages
The Declaration of Independence states “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” This statement implies that we as humans have God given rights that we can not be deprived of. Americans have always stood by this idea since it began as a nation. However, other countries and past documents may say otherwise. Do the Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, and the US Bill of Rights support this idea of unalienable rights as stated in the Declaration of Independence? Of the three documents the US Bill of Rights is the most supportive of the Declaration of Independence's statement of “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.” Firstly, in Amendment 1, we see all of these being supported. Amendment 1 grants all people freedom of speech, religion, and press. These are the “unalienable rights” talked about in the Declaration that all men are entitled to. In Amendment 5, people are granted the right to be judged by a due process of law. Being judged fairly and equally for everyone is another part of our unalienable rights. Amendment 5 even states that no one shall be “...deprived of life,…show more content…
The English Bill of Rights seems to concern itself with the power of Parliament in relation to the king’s than with the people’s rights. Though it does make these changes for the people’s welfare, it doesn’t exactly support our “unalienable rights.” The first section of the English Bill of Rights states that it is illegal to suspend or execute laws without the consent of Parliament. The fourth section states that it is illegal to levy money for the King without consent of Parliament. The English Bill of Rights more set up the rights of a representative body than the rights of the
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