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The English Bill Of Rights

Decent Essays

The idea that humans inherently possess a set of inalienable rights is a concept that originated centuries ago and has since been evolving. From the signing of the Magna Carta to present day lobbyist fighting for LGBT communities, we can see how this concept is deeply engraved in daily actions and laws worldwide.
However, the way these rights are interrupted and enforced have been the topic of many on going debates.
Dating back to the late 1600s, society has continuously drafted new documents advocating for rights and liberties. The English Bill of Rights of 1689 is one of those initial documents. The bill consisted of basic rights such as freedom of speech, freedom to bear arms and freedom from cruel and unusual punishments. However, all of the rights stated in the bill were not a break from tradition. The articles within the bill were merely a restatement of England’s common law that had been in practice for decades. The bill lacked to take a new approach on the concept of liberty and rights. The English Bill of Right however managed to influence the Americas and before long they drafted their own version. The US constitution, signed in the late 1700s shows a strong resemblance. The amendments under the constitution include some of the same rights listed in The English Bill of Rights. Fortunately, as time continued to pass peoples attitudes toward rights and liberties started to evolve. Suddenly England became dominated by a philosophical way of thinking. England

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