Process
Wright on Rights !
Welcome! Bienvenidos!
Part 1
(Some of the vocabulary you know and some will be new. Many of the new terms you will be able to understand by reading the paragraph. If you do not understand a term, you may look it up at in the student dictionary.)
While using the webquest, you will have a packet called "Wright on Rights!" to complete. This will help you and your team members complete the final project.
Where do we get the idea of rights?
Thousands of years ago, some civilizations, or groups of people, began to write down ideas about rules and rights. Before writing down the ideas, people shared the ideas orally or through stories. People had rights, rules and responsibilities based on their membership in a group - a family, a tribe or nation, a religious group, a social class like rich or poor, a community, a state or empire. Most groups had a "golden rule" - treat people like you want to be treated. Written lists of rights, rules and responsibilities are found in many documents: the Hindu Vedas (India), the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi, the Torah or Bible (Southwest Asia), the Quran (Southwest Asia), the Analects of Confucius (China), Axtec (Mexico) and Inca (South America) codes of conduct, Charter of Cyrus (Persia or Iran, c 570 BC) , the Edicts of Ashoka, the Manden Charter of Mali (1222 CE) and the Eyptian Ma'at. (Although some people had rights, most of the early documents had a lot of rules. They show us what some people thought was just or correct. People with power, like rulers, had far more rights than most people.
Wright on Rights packet, Task 1: Label the areas of the world on the blank map. Here is a map with the continents in English and in Spanish and here is a political map or map which lists countries. (Look on the left side of the web page; click on the country you want to find and look at the map
What events and ideas about rights influenced the United States in the 1700s - 1800s ?
In Europe in the 1600s and 1700s, documents were written about rights. Today, documents are files we write with a word processing program. Before computers, when someone wrote down important ideas for a group or nation, they were called documents. Documents with ideas that influenced the United State Constitution and Bill of rights are the Magna Carta (1215 CE) (England), the English Bill of Rights (1689 CE), and the French Declaration on the rights of Man and Citizen (1789 CE). Some historians believe the Iroquois Confederacy's structure also influenced the United States. (The Iroquois are American Indians from what is today New York State.)
This is a copy of the Magna Carta (read more about it)
This is a copy of the French Declaration of the Rights of Man (read more about it)
Write on Rights packet, Task 2: Add the areas of the world on the blank map.
When the United States Constitution (1789 CE) and Bill of Rights (1791 CE) were written, rights were not equal. Women, African Americans and American Indians had few or no rights. People with little money or property had few rights. Some people were discriminated against because of their religion or what they believed, where they lived or how they looked. Nevertheless, over hundreds of years people worked together to expand who has rights and make them fairer.
This is a copy of the United States Constitution. (read more about it)
Write on rights packet, Task 3: Learn about the U.S. Bill of Rights.
In the 1800s, after the U.S. Civil War (1865 CE), three amendments or changes were added to the U.S. Constitution. The 13th amendment ended slavery of African Americans. The 14th amendment gave citizenship to everyone born in the United States except American Indians. The 15th amendment said all male citizens could vote. (All women did not get the right to vote until the 19th amendment in 1920). Read more about the amendments.
Write on rights packet, Task 4: Why were many people denied equal rights?
Write on rights packet, Task 5: While reading the next section, complete the chart "What events and ideas about rights influenced the United States in the 1900s?
What events and ideas about rights influenced the United States in the 1900s and 2000s?
From 1914 - 1918, many countries were involved in the "Great War" or "World War I." The war was fought in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Over 10 million soldiers died and at least as many millions of civilians died. In the country that is today called Turkey, over half of the Armenian people were killed by the government. Today we call this "genocide." (Genocide is mass killing of a group of people because of who they are - their religion, ethnic or cultural background, etc.) In 1919, many countries came together to form the "League of Nations." The "League of Nations" was to help prevent another war and to encourage countries to disarm or get rid of their weapons. If you want to learn more about the "League of Nations," look at this map.
This is a map of the countries who participated in World War I. The countries in green were called the Allies and the countires in orange were called the Axis powers. The neutral countries are in grey.
The "League of Nations" did not prevent another global war. From 1939 - 1945, many countries fought in World War II. After World War II (1945 CE), the idea of rights was expanded to include human rights. During World War II, Nazi Germany exterminated or killed over 12 million people including six million Jews, Sinti and Romani (gypsies), gay men, Slavic people, people with disabilities, and communists. The genocide of the European Jews is called the "Holocaust." There were millions of civilians killed on both sides of the war; about 40 million civilians and 30 million soldiers died. Government officials from the defeated countries, Germany and Japan, were put on trial and charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity (people). Then, some governments created the United Nations to increase the peace. Many people from around the world wanted to prevent war and support better treatment of all people. (Here is information on the United Nations in English and in Spanish.) If you want to learn more about when countries joined the United Nations, look at this map.
This is a map of countries that participated in World War II. The countries in green were the Allies. (The countries in light green joined the war after December 1941). The countries in orange were in the Axis. The countries in grey were neutral.
Write on Rights packet, Task 6: Brainstorm and list your ideas
This is the symbol of the United Nations.
On December 10, 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted or accepted by the 56 countries who were part of the United Nations. (Eight nations abstained or did not vote.) Human rights are basic rights for all people including the right to freedom, to live, to express yourself and to not be physically hurt. Some people believe human rights included the right to a safe home, an education, and health care.
There have been many other declaration of rights adopted since 1948. Here are a few:
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
The Convention on the Political Rights of Women
The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women of 1979
The African Charter of Human and People's Rights of 1981
Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989
The Cairo Declaraction on Human Rights in Islam of 1990
In this web quest, we will focus on the Convention of the Rights of the Child of 1989.
(This poster is from a Human Rights Day Poster Contest. You can see more pictures at this link.)
If you would like to see a detailed human rights timeline that begins in Europe and the United States in the 1700s and goes to the 21st century, try this link.
If you want to know what CE means, try this link.
Part 2
Convention on the Rights of the Child
Now that you've read some information on the history of rights, we're going to learn about children's rights. In 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child was signed by most countries because the leaders thought children need special care and protection.
Do children need special care and protection?
Wants, Needs and Rights
Wants are things that are fun and we would like to have. You might want to have a new Game Cube, a new bike or a new basketball. You do not need "wants" to live.
Needs are things everyone needs to have a good and healthy life. Healthy food, a safe place to live, clean water, and education are needs.
Rights are things everyone should have because we are human. Rights could include the right to safe food and health care to the right to be respected and not abused.
Write on Rights Task 7: What are wants, needs and rights unique to children?
(If you need some ideas, check out suggestions for a Kids' Bill of Rights.)
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After your group has brainstormed a list of wants, needs and rights for children, check out Children's Rights. Follow the directions and click on the projector to learn about the 10 types of children's rights.
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Wright on Rights Task 8: While watching and reading "Children's Rights," track your reactions. Decide if you agree, disagree or are not sure if children should have the rights.
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If you are not sure if you agree, disagree or are not sure and want more information on children's rights, watch the "Photo Essays" on children's rights. (Scroll down the page and look on the right for "photo essay" 1 and 11.)
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Want more information?
(a) If you want to print a copy of the Convention of the Rights of the Child in kid friendly language, check out this site. If you want to print a poster of the Convention of the Rights of the Child in kid friendly language, check out this site.
(b) This is the full text - all the original words - of the Convention of the Rights of the Child in English and in Espaņol.
(c) The Convention of the Rights of the Child is available in 50 languages! Check them out!
(d) Find out about children's rights and children's living conditions in any country in English and in Espaņol. After you select a country, read the UNICEF goals for the country. Do you agree? Why or why not? You can also see what is simliar or different about the lives of children in different countries.
(d) Check out the Children's Charter of South Africa. Is this similar or different from the Convention on the Rights of the Child?
Wall mural in Durban, South Africa. (Secretariat photo)
Part 3
Write on Rights to Make your Voices Heard!
Only two countries have not ratified the
Convention on the Rights of the Child
The United States and Somalia
Should the United States Senate ratify* the Convention on the Rights of the Child?
*The United States signed it in February 1995 but the U.S. Senate has not ratified it.
The Convention includes:
Some people support the Convention. Why? Children in the United States have many protections but not all. Many children's families are too poor to provide enough food and meet basic needs including a good education and enough health care. Some children in the United States are abused. Some also work when they are young. The Convention is reasonable and will encourage the United States to teach about children's rights. It includes social and cultural rights. Some examples are the right to your nationality, name, family, education, a home, health care, etc.
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Though 192 countries have ratified the Convention. Some people in the U.S. oppose it. Why? (1) The Convention does not allow a country to execute or put a person in jail for life without the possibility of parole if she or he committed the crime when he or she was under 18. In some U.S. states, both of these punishment are allowed. (2) Some people think the Convention takes rights away from parents. Some think it will deny parents the right to raise their children the way they want. The Convention does not allow parents to spank their children. Some believe the Convention would children the right to chose their religion. (3) The United States government has said U.S. laws are better for children than the Convention. (4) It provides for economic, social and cultural rights that are not included in the U.S. Bill of Rights. (Read more about it.) |
Take Action!
As a team, you have to decide. Whatever your position, you will write a letter to a Pennsylvania Senator and ask him to either work to ratify the Convention or oppose ratification. Your letter should include: (1) a paragraph about your group's ideas on children's rights, (2) a paragraph summarizing the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and (3) your team's position and why you support or oppose the U.S. ratification of the Convention. Organize your ideas with the Write on Rights "Take Action" pages 9 and 10.
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Senator Arlen Specter 711 Hart Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 Web Form: specter.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInfo.Home |
Senator Robert Casey 383 Russell Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 Web Form: casey.senate.gov/contact.cfm |
(If you are from another state, you can find information on senators at this link.)
Write on Rights: Playing with Numbers
Try page 11 (and 12) of "Write on Rights." These numbers are called statistics and give some information about a country. You can create charts, tables and graphs too!
Create your own chart and tables:
(1) First, look up a country to find out about the country. Read the background information. On the left side of the page, look at "statistics."
(2) Now you are going to create your own chart or table.
(a) Go to the link. Follow the directions to select the countries you want to compare.
(b) Go to "next" and select the categories you want to compare. "Add select to list."
(c) Last, "create table."
(d) Write questions based on the chart.
(e) Super Challenge! Use the information from your chart to create a graph.
Write on Rights to Right Wrongs and Root for Rights!
Organize your ideas with "Create a Wiki/Blog" Take Action page 13.
Now that you have learned about the history of human rights and taken a stand on the Convention on the Rights of the Child, you are ready to continue to learn about issues and rights which are important to kids. As a class, you will create a Wiki or Blog.
(1) First, visit kids sites where you can post your ideas on rights:
(2) Second, keep track of rights and current issues you think are important to youth. Visit these web sites to find information:
Amnesty International for Kids
(3) Each team will be responsible for posting bi-weekly on the Wiki or Blog. You may find ideas at the international web sites (see #2) or at your school, in your neighborhood or city. Pick issues/topics which are important to you!
The post should include (1) the issue or topic, (2) a paragraph summarizing what you learned about the issue or topic and where you found the information, and (3) your team members ideas about the issue or topic. You do not have to agree. You should include what you think and why. If you want, you may include action you plan to take on the issue or topic.
(4) Each team is also responsible to respond to other posts from your classmates. Let them know what you learned from their post and whether or not you agree or disagree and why.
(5) After a couple of months, your class will have created a Wiki/Blog newspaper! You'll have a record of important issues for kids!