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(1) FIRST, THAT WE HAVE GRANTED TO GOD, and by this present charter have confirmed for us and our heirs in perpetuity, that the English Church shall be free, and shall have its rights undiminished, and its liberties unimpaired. TO ALL FREE MEN OF OUR KINGDOM we have also granted, for us and our heirs for ever, all the liberties written out below, to have and to keep for them and their heirs, of us and our heirs: (2) If any earl, baron, or other person that holds lands directly of the Crown, for military service, shall die, and at his death his heir shall be of full age and owe a 'relief', the heir shall have his inheritance on payment of the ancient scale of 'relief'. (7) At her husband's death, a widow may have her marriage portion and inheritance at once and without trouble. She shall pay nothing for her dower, marriage portion, or any inheritance that she and her husband held jointly on the day of his death. She may remain in her husband's house for forty days after his death, and within this period her dower shall be assigned to her. (8) No widow shall be compelled to marry, so long as she wishes to remain without a husband. (9) Neither we nor our officials will seize any land or rent in payment of a debt, so long as the debtor has movable goods sufficient to discharge the debt. (20) For a trivial offence, a free man shall be fined only in proportion to the degree of his offence, and for a serious offence correspondingly, but not so heavily as to deprive him of his livelihood. (30) No sheriff, royal official, or other person shall take horses or carts for transport from any free man, without his consent. (31) Neither we nor any royal official will take wood for our castle, or for any other purpose, without the consent of the owner. (32) We will not keep the lands of people convicted of felony in our hand for longer than a year and a day, after which they shall be returned to the lords of the 'fees' concerned. (38) In future no official shall place a man on trial upon his own unsupported statement, without producing credible witnesses to the truth of it. + (39) No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land. + (40) To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice. * (63) IT IS ACCORDINGLY OUR WISH AND COMMAND that the English Church shall be free, and that men in our kingdom shall have and keep all these liberties, rights, and concessions, well and peaceably in their fullness and entirety for them and their heirs, of us and our heirs, in all things and all places for ever.

Declaration of the Rights of Man by The Marquis de Lafayette Determined to set forth in a solemn declaration the natural, unalienable, and sacred rights of man, the following rights of man and of the citizen: Articles: Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions may be founded only upon the general good. These rights are liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression. Liberty consists in the freedom to do everything which injures no one else; hence the exercise of the natural rights of each man has no limits except those which assure to the other members of the society the enjoyment of the same rights. Law can only prohibit such actions as are hurtful to society. Law is the expression of the general will. No person shall be accused, arrested, or imprisoned except in the cases and according to the forms prescribed by law. The law shall provide for such punishments only as are strictly and obviously necessary. As all persons are held innocent until they shall have been declared guilty. No one shall be disquieted on account of his opinions, including his religious views. The free communication of ideas and opinions is one of the most precious of the rights of man. Every citizen may, accordingly, speak, write, and print with freedom, but shall be responsible for such abuses of this freedom as shall be defined by law. Society has the right to require of every public agent an account of his administration. Since property is an inviolable and sacred right, no one shall be deprived thereof except where public necessity, legally determined, shall clearly demand it, and then only on condition that the owner shall have been previously and equitably indemnified.

How is the word law used differently among each text?
A. Law only applies to property owners in the Magna Carta, while it refers to those who pay taxes in the Declaration of the Rights of Man.
B. Law only applies to the noble class in the Magna Carta, while it applies to those of the National Assembly in the Declaration of the Rights of Man.
C. Law refers to religious law in the Magna Carta, while it refers to secular law in the Declaration of the Rights of Man.
D. Law refers to feudal law in the Magna Carta, while it refers to general principles of law in the Declaration of the Rights of Man.

1 answer

The best answer to how the word "law" is used differently in each text is:

D. Law refers to feudal law in the Magna Carta, while it refers to general principles of law in the Declaration of the Rights of Man.

Here's the reasoning:

  1. Magna Carta: The law in the Magna Carta is largely concerned with feudal rights, privileges, and procedures that protect the interests of the nobility and ensure that local customs are followed (e.g., the rights of free men, rules regarding inheritance, and legal proceedings). It reflects the structure of medieval society and the feudal system.

  2. Declaration of the Rights of Man: In contrast, the Declaration articulates broader, more universal principles of law, emphasizing natural rights and the general will of the people. It focuses on concepts like liberty, equality, and justice applicable to all citizens rather than specific feudal obligations or hierarchies.

Thus, the primary distinction is that the Magna Carta is grounded in the context of feudal law, while the Declaration of the Rights of Man deals with general law and individual rights applicable to all individuals in society.