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Lesson Plan Title: A Comparison of Human Rights
Subjects: Theology and History
Description: Students will be divided into three groups. Each group will be given a document that pertains to
human rights as follows: the United States Bill of Rights, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human
Rights or the encyclical Pacem in Terris. Students will read their group’s document and use the handout titled
“A Comparison of Human Rights” to indicate any reference to Rights in the document. After all students have
completed the worksheet, a representative from each group will discuss where each right is mentioned in
their group’s document. After all students complete the worksheet, the class will discuss whether particular
rights should be guaranteed by all governments and institutions.
Objectives:
1.
Students will be able to identify the human rights guaranteed to each person under the Bill of Rights,
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the encyclical Pacem in Terris.
2.
Students will be able to evaluate three different governing bodies: national, international and Church.
3.
Students will be able to define duty, responsibility and right.
Materials Needed:

United States Bill of Rights

United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Encyclical Pacem in Terris

“A Comparison of Human Rights” handout
Key Vocabulary and Definitions:
Right: something that a person is or should be morally or legally allowed to have, get or do; something to
which one has a just claim, such as the power or privilege to which one is justly entitled (e.g., voting)
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary; http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/right)
Duty (synonym: obligation): the binding or obligatory force of something that is morally or legally right; moral
or legal obligation; something one is expected or required to do by moral or legal obligation. (dictionary.com)
Responsibility: something that you should do because it is morally right, legally required or mentally
accountable, etc. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary; http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/responsibility)
Opening Activity/ Introduction:
Before class, write the terms and definitions for the class. When students enter the classroom, open the class
with a prayer and ask them to offer definitions of human rights and of duty. Afterward, have the students
write the terms and definitions that you prepared. If there happens to be a word or phrase they stated,
incorporate that into the definition.
Activities/Procedure:
Once the class has written the definitions of right and duty, ask the class what documents of
guarantee the human rights of the United States and the global community. For theology courses,
explain what an encyclical is and how the document Pacem in Terris incorporates human rights into
Catholic social teaching and the gospel of the Church.
Divide the class into three groups. Give each person in each group:
1. Pacem in Terris
2. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
3. The Bill of Rights and Amendments
Give each student a copy of “A Comparison of Human Rights.” Have them complete the
appropriate information according to their human rights document.
Next, have each group pick a representative to explain which right listed in the handout is found in
their human rights document. Once all the groups have completed the table in the handout, use
the following questions to guide a class discussion:
 What rights should be guaranteed in all governments and institutions? Why aren’t
some rights represented in specific documents? Which rights should be included in
all governmental and institutional documents and laws?
 What surprised you about the rights in the national and international
documentation?
Close the lesson by reviewing the difference between a right, a responsibility and a duty. Are
certain rights mentioned in each document a right, a responsibility or a duty in the context of the
definition given in class?
o Provide the optional handout on responsibilities and duties. The handout provides insight
into where human duties and responsibilities are mentioned in each human rights
document.
Review: What are the differences between rights and duties, and how rights and duties apply to
national and international law?
Homework/Assessment/ Evaluation: Tell students about any in-class assessments, projects,
and/or homework that you will assign for the lesson and include the grading rubric.
Required Handouts/Resources/ Websites: Include any other necessary resources, such as
handouts, charts, print resources and website URLs.
 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations (1948)
o http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/
 United States Bill of Rights and Amendments (1791)
o http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1786-1800/bill-of-rights-and-theamendments-to-the-constitution.php
 Pacem In Terris (1963)
o http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_xxiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jxxiii_enc_11041963_pacem_en.html
 Handout: A Comparison of Human Rights
 Teacher Answer Sheet
Supplementary/Enrichment Resources:
 Responsibilities and Duties in Human Rights Documentations handout
Responsibilities and Duties of Human Rights Documentation
United States Bill of Rights and Amendments: Does not mention responsibilities and duties.
United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Mentions duties in Article 29:
“Everyone has duties to the community.”
Pacem in Terris: This document begins and ends with the inclusion of our duties (No. 9): “He
has rights and duties of his own, flowing directly and simultaneously from his very nature.”
This is a much fuller understanding of the human duties that accompany human rights. The
duties are woven into the rights. Paragraphs 28‒45, the section titled “Duties,” includes the
following sections: “Rights and Duties Linked in the One Person,” “Reciprocity of Rights and
Duties Between Persons” and “An Attitude of Responsibility.”
A Comparison of Human Rights: Teacher’s Guide
Directions: Read the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), United
States Bill of Rights and Amendments, or Pacem in Terris. For each right listed below,
indicate where in the document it is mentioned with a section number and short summary.
Indicate whether you believe the right should be in the document.
Rights
Included in
UDHR
(1948)
Included in Bill of
Rights and
Amendments
(1791)
1. Freedom of
religion
Article 18:
Freedom of
Religion
Amendment 1:
Freedom of
Religion
2. Freedom of
opinion and
speech
Article 19:
Freedom of
Opinion
Amendment 1:
Freedom of
Speech
3. Freedom of
the press
Amendment 1:
Freedom of
Press
4. Right to own
arms
Amendment 2: A
well-regulated
militia, with the
right to keep and
bear arms
Amendment 4:
Right to keep
person and
possessions from
unreasonable
search and
seizure
Amendment 6: A
right to a speedy
and public trial,
and a trial by jury
5. Right to
protection of
privacy and
goods
Article 12: A
protection of
privacy and
reputation
6. A fair trial by
jury
Article 10: A
right to a fair
trial
7. Right to trial
for violation of
rights
Article 8: A right
to remedy in
court for
violation of
rights
Amendment 7: A
right to a jury
trial for civil suits
Included in
Pacem In Terris
(1963)
14: Every human
being has the
right to honor
God according to
the dictates of
an upright
conscience …
12: “Every
human has the
right to respect
for person, to his
good reputation
…”
27: The human
person is entitled
to a juridical
protection of his
rights, a
Should Be
Included in All
Documents
protection that
should be
efficacious,
impartial and in
conformity with
true norms of
justice.
8. Freedom from
torture and
inhumane
treatment
Article 5:
Prohibition of
torture and cruel
or inhuman
treatment
9. Inherent
Preamble: All
dignity with
members of
equal and
human family
inalienable rights have an inherent
dignity with
equal and
inalienable
rights.
Article 2: These
rights are
universally
applied to all
humans without
distinction of any
kind.
10. Prohibition of Article 4:
Amendment 13:
slavery
Prohibition of
Section 1:
Slavery
Neither slavery
nor involuntary
servitude shall
exist within the
United States.
11. Presumed
Article 11:
innocent until
Presumed
proven guilty
innocent until
when charged
proven guilty
for a crime
when charged
for crime,
entitled to a
proper defense
and fair
punishment if
found guilty
12. Right to
Article 13: A
travel freely
freedom of
movement and
residence within
a state and
freedom to leave
10: If we look
upon the dignity
of the human
person in the
light of divinely
revealed truth,
we cannot help
but esteem it far
more highly. For
men are
redeemed by the
blood of Jesus
Christ.
and return to
your state
13. Right to own
property
Article 17: A
right to own
property
14. Right to work
and fair wage
Article 23: A
right to work for
a salary to
support a family
and equal pay
for equal work,
and to form
unions
Article 25: A
right to an
adequate
standard of living
for health and
well-being of self
and family. This
includes food …
15. Right to
adequate food
16. Right to
adequate
housing/ shelter
… housing …
17. Right to
health care
… and medical
care and
necessary social
services and
security in
unemployment,
sickness,
disability,
widowhood, old
age or other lack
of livelihood
beyond his
control. Special
assistance for
motherhood
21: The right to
private property,
even of
productive
goods, also
derives from the
nature of man.
20: …there is the
worker’s right to
a wage
determined
according to
criteria of justice.
11: … every man
has the right to
love to bodily
integrity, and to
the means which
are necessary
and suitable for
the proper
development
of life. These
means are
primarily food,
clothing, shelter,
rest,
medical care,
and finally the
necessary social
services.
Therefore, a
human being
also has the right
to security in
cases of sickness,
inability to work,
widowhood, old
age,
unemployment,
or in any other
case in which he
is deprived of
the means or
subsistence
through no fault
of his own.
18. Right to
education
Article 26: A
right to
education
13: The natural
law also gives
man the right to
share in the
basic culture,
and therefore
the right to a
basic education.
A Comparison of Human Rights
Directions: Read through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Bill of Rights and
Amendments, or Pacem In Terris. For each right listed below, indicate where in the document it is
mentioned with a section number and short summary. Indicate whether you believe the right should
be in the document.
Rights
1. Freedom of
Religion
2. Freedom of
Opinion and
Speech
3. Freedom of
the Press
4. Right to own
arms
5. Right to
protection of
privacy and
goods
6. A Fair Trial by
Jury
7. Right to trial
for violation of
rights
8. Freedom from
torture and
inhumane
treatment
Included in
UDHR
Included in Bill of
Rights and
Amendments
Included in
Pacem In Terris
Should Be
Included in All
Documents
9. Inherent
dignity with
equal and
inalienable rights
10. Prohibition of
Slavery
11. Presumed
innocent until
proven guilty
when charged
for a crime
12. Right to
travel freely
13. Right to own
property
14. Right to work
and fair wage
15. Right to
adequate food
16. Right to
adequate
housing/ shelter
17. Right to
health care
18. Right to
education