Question

The British colonies that became the United States of America could see the impact of the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights on the citizens of England. In what way did Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence differ from these other two important legal documents?

The Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights were written by the same author, but not the Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration of Independence was much longer than the Magna Carta or the English Bill of Rights.

The Declaration of Independence asserted the rights of all citizens--not just wealthy landowners and noblemen.

The Declaration of Independence lacked the radical tone of the two earlier documents.

Answer 1

The Declaration of Independence asserted the rights of all citizens—not just wealthy landowners and noblemen.

Jefferson articulated universal natural rights ("all men are created equal" with rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"), whereas the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights mainly protected the interests and privileges of nobles, Parliament, and certain classes rather than claiming universal individual rights.