Literature Study GuidesDeclaration Of The Rights Of Man And Of The Citizen

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen | Study Guide

French National Constituent Assembly

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Course Hero. "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen Study Guide." Course Hero. 2 Aug. 2019. Web. 2 Oct. 2023. <https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Declaration-of-the-Rights-of-Man-and-of-the-Citizen/>.

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Course Hero. (2019, August 2). Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen Study Guide. In Course Hero. Retrieved October 2, 2023, from https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Declaration-of-the-Rights-of-Man-and-of-the-Citizen/

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Course Hero. "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen Study Guide." August 2, 2019. Accessed October 2, 2023. https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Declaration-of-the-Rights-of-Man-and-of-the-Citizen/.

Footnote

Course Hero, "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen Study Guide," August 2, 2019, accessed October 2, 2023, https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Declaration-of-the-Rights-of-Man-and-of-the-Citizen/.

Overview

Author

French National Constituent Assembly

Year Ratified

1789

Type

Primary Source

Genre

History

At a Glance

  • The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen is a proclamation of essential rights of French citizens including liberty, equality, ownership of property, and the right to resist tyranny.
  • The declaration emphasizes that authority to rule lies with the body of citizens that constitutes the nation.
  • The document contains echoes of other texts, including the Magna Carta (1215)—an English charter of rights—and the U.S. Declaration of Independence (1776).
  • The text reflects Enlightenment ideas about natural laws, human rights, and civil society.
  • The late 1780s were a time of political, economic, and social upheaval in France. The French Revolution broke out in 1789.
  • The Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834) wrote the first draft of the declaration, with assistance from Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826).
  • Between August 20 and 26, 1789, the newly formed French National Assembly debated, revised, and adopted the declaration.
  • The declaration does not mention slavery or the rights of women, both of which were the subject of passionate debate among some revolutionaries.
  • In 1791 the articles of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen were incorporated into the new French Constitution.

Summary

This study guide for French National Constituent Assembly's Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen offers summary and analysis on themes, symbols, and other literary devices found in the text. Explore Course Hero's library of literature materials, including documents and Q&A pairs.

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