loading... The Story Of Our Freedom

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Castles in the background Buildings in the background

Timeline

1200
1210

Back in the Bad Ol´ Days

1220
1230
Total Power
The King is above the law The King's crown

Scene of unhappy peasants.

Peasant with sign - Too many taxes!! Man carrying heavy sack of taxes Man in the stocks Peasant with sign - Unfair trial!! Woman in the stocks Peasant with sign - Can't even protest Peasant with sign - No rights Booooo!! Peasant with sign - No power!!

King John is a cruel tyrant who ignored the laws of the land and the wishes of his subjects. He is often called the “Worst King of England”!

King John is always going to war with France (and always losing!). He keeps taxing the Barons to pay for his armies, until one day they've had enough. They march to the fields of Runnymede, near London, and force him to sign Magna Carta.

Timeline

1200
1210

1215

1220
1230

The crown floats down to land on King John's head

Evil King John King John forced to sign Magna Carta. He's the villan in the story of Robin Hood
Runnymede Baron weilding sword Baron weilding sword Baron weilding sword and the Magna Carta
Magna Carta

This document guarantees Barons their ancient rights:

  1. No new taxes unless a common counsel agrees.
  2. All free men have the right to justice and a fair trial with a jury.
  3. The Monarch doesn’t have absolute power. The Law is above all men and applies to everyone equally.
  4. All free citizens can own and inherit property.
  5. Widows who own property don’t have to remarry.

Terms and Conditions apply

Signed King John

This one document puts into writing four huge ideas:

Timeline

1630
1640

Mid-1600's

1660
1670

Some people just don’t learn. King Charles the First starts behaving a lot like King John and imposes taxes without consent. If people didn’t pay their taxes, they went to jail.

Eventually this leads to a civil war…and to Charles losing his head

Prisoners Prisoners Speech bubble - not again!!
King Charles I Happy King Charles The First Money
Sir Edward Coke What about Magna Carta?
Piles of money Piles of money Piles of money Piles of money Piles of money Piles of money Piles of money Piles of money Piles of money Piles of money Piles of money Piles of money
King on the chopping block
Man with an axe Arm with axe raises to behead the king
The Ground
Dripping background suggesting blood from King Charles

The Age of Enlightenment begins and some clever thinkers come up with new ideas.

These thinkers question the power of the kings and churches, and argue in favour of individuals and democracy instead.

Probably the most influential of all is John Locke (1632 - 1704). He’s a pioneer of modern thinking. He believes in “Natural Rights”, rights ALL people should have, just because they’re people.

The Age Of Enlightenment Rays of light
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Enter John Locke Stage Right
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Timeline

1660
1670

1679

1680
1690

Drawing on the ancient rights in the Magna Carta, the Parliament of England passes the Habeas Corpus Act in 1679. This protects against locking people up unfairly.

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English Parliment
English Parliment
Habeas Corpus
Speech bubble all in favour Speech bubble aye Speech bubble hear hear

Timeline

1670
1680

1689

1690
1700

The Parliament goes on to pass the English Bill of Rights in 1689 which, like Magna Carta, lays out rules restricting the power of the monarch and protecting the individual rights of the people.

English Bill Of Rights
Speech bubble aye Speech bubble hear hear

News travels slowly in these times but over the seas in America people quite like the idea of having individual rights. The new American colonies decide to take some of the ideas in the Magna Carta and turn them into their own laws.

Map showing ship traveling from Britan to America
Ship carrying the news of Magna Carta Magna Carta

Timeline

1750
1760

1765

1780
1790

However, King George III starts to behave a bit like King John and decides to tax the thirteen American colonies without their consent. Bad move.

The colonies reject British rule and come together to overthrow the authority of Great Britain.

The American Revolution
King George vs George Washington King George George Washington Speech bubble saying there's only room for one George in this country shadow
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Timeline

1700
1770

1776

1790
1800

The colonies decide to form a new nation—the United States of America. They announce this in the United States Declaration of Independence.

But the Declaration is not just about independence from Britain.
It also recognises that all men are free and equal.

The Americans decide to set up a system of government that made sure that no one person could have all the power.

They create a Constitution that divided power between the three main branches, the Congress, the President and the Courts.

This means that there are checks and balances in place so that people’s rights are protected.

Declaration of independance Star Star Star Star Star Star Star Star
We have rights, all men are born free and equal. No taxation without representation we can make decisions for ourselves life, liberty and pursuit of hapieness Star Star Star Star Star Star
Clouds behind the american buidlings
The Congress The Courts The White House

On the other side of the world…

Captain Cook claims Australia - the Great Southern Land - for England.

The English bring their laws and ideas about individual rights and freedoms with them to Australia. Not that this helps many people, as most of the English arrivals are convicts and have limited rights. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aren’t given any rights at all!

Meanwhile in Australia Ships landing in Australia Ships landing in Australia Ships landing in Australia Ships landing in Australia Settlement Settlement Settlement Settlement Settlement Speech bubble with question mark from native people Speech bubble with question mark from native people Speech bubble with question mark from native people Speech bubble with exclaimation point from native people Speech bubble with exclaimation point from native people Speech bubble exclaimation point mark from native people

The British learn from their mistakes in America and allow the Australian colonies to set up their own parliaments and govern themselves.

At the beginning on the 20th century, the colonies get together and decide they need a government for the whole country…

In 1901, the six Australian colonies come together and create the Australian Constitution, a document which established Australia as an independent nation and set up a national Parliament.

But still not everyone is treated equally by the law in this new Australia.

The Colonies coming together The Colonies coming together The Colonies coming together The Colonies coming together The Colonies coming together The Colonies coming together
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Rays of light 1901
Federation Roo Emu Magna Carta Scroll
Women, non-Europeans and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people ground

Timeline

1900
1910

1914

1920
1930

Then we have one terrible war.

World War I
WWI Fighter plane

Timeline

1930
1940

1945

1950
1960

And then we have another.

Millions of people are killed simply because of who they are, what they think, or what they believe.

After more than 60 million people lose their lives in World War II it is clear that nations must work together to protect the rights of all human beings.

Bomb
World War II
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WWII Fighter plane
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In 1945 an international organisation is formed by 51 countries committed to preserving peace through international cooperation and collective security. This is the United Nations.

Australia is a founding member of the UN and plays a prominent role in the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Arms raise in celebration Arms raise in celebration Arms raise in celebration Arms raise in celebration Arms raise in celebration Arms raise in celebration Arms raise in celebration Arms raise in celebration Arms raise in celebration Arms raise in celebration Arms raise in celebration Arms raise in celebration Arms raise in celebration Arms raise in celebration Arms raise in celebration Arms raise in celebration The United Nations
Wreath Globe
Doc Evatt
William Roy Hodgeson

Timeline

1930
1940

1948

1950
1960

Unlike all the declarations, bills and charters that came before it, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is concerned with everyone on the planet - not just citizens of a single nation or empire.

But what does this all mean for us today?
It means that we can’t take our rights and freedoms for granted. It took a long time to get them and many people fought hard for them.
Today, we have…

Human rights for all Globe Eleanor Roosevelt The International Magna Carta for all men everywhere Eleanor Roosevelt name tag

Timeline

2000
2010

Today

2020
2030

We exercise our freedom of speech whenever we text, tweet, blog or make any other social post…

Once we are over 18, we can exercise our right to vote in elections and decide the future of our country…

We can decide whether we follow a religion, or not, and worship how we choose…

We cannot be locked up by the people in power without having a fair and independent trial.

Freedom of Speech
The right to vote
Freedom of religion
The right not to held in prison without a reason

However, even today these rights are not always protected equally for everyone…

In the world, some people are still treated unfairly because of their race, nationality, disability, gender, sexuality or their age.

Some people even experience violence or bullying just for being themselves.

Woman holding sign that says equal work equal pay Man in wheelchair holding sign that says people with disabliliies have rights too Woman with sign saying close the gap woman with sign saying smash the glass ceiling Two men holing a sign that says equal love rights

There’s not just one way to defend and improve our rights, there are many, and it’s a job for everyone.

So what can we do?
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A boy and girl sitting on a couch The ground
International declarations and treaties
Australia
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