Grade 6 · Social Studies · Lesson 28

Universal human rights

After the horrors of the Second World War, the newly created United Nations made a promise to the world. In 1948 it adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — a list of 30 articles describing the basic rights that belong to every human being, everywhere, simply because they are human. These rights are called UNIVERSAL because they apply to all people, regardless of country, age, religion, gender, or background.

What this lesson teaches

1Explain what universal human rights are and why they apply to every person
2Describe the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the role of Eleanor Roosevelt in its drafting
3Identify everyday situations in which a right is respected or violated
4Match key rights to plain-language descriptions of what they mean

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