Human Rights

In the wake of the horrors of World War II and the Holocaust, the global community sought a new foundation for peace and justice. At the heart of this effort was the powerful idea of human rights—that every person, no matter their country, race, or background, is entitled to the same set of essential rights. These resources explore the origins and impact of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), helping students understand both the historic progress it represents and the ongoing struggle to fulfill its promise.
Human Rights

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Featured Materials

Universal Rights
Photo of four stamps that show Eleanor Roosevelt using a spinning wheel. “Universal Declaration of Human Rights 15th Anniversary – 10th December 1963” is written at the bottom.
OER Project
Article

Universal Rights External link

In 1948, 48 countries signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Since then, globalization has spread, and has both supported and threatened human rights.
Preserving the Past
World History 1750
Video

Preserving the Past External link

Globalization and imperialism have impacted Indigenous American communities everywhere. Hear how Pueblo people are reclaiming their stories, ancestral remains, and sacred lands.
Civil Rights and Global Liberation
Black and white photo of delegates from unaligned nations standing along the back of a room for a photo.
OER Project
Article

Civil Rights and Global Liberation External link

As the Cold War heated up, the American government began to see racism in America as a liability for their foreign relations.

Lessons

Lesson 9.5
World History 1750
Globalization
1914 CE – present
Global Communities
It’s time to join the conversation about human rights and global cooperation. Explore how global institutions and grassroots movements have worked together—and at times clashed—in the fight for justice since World War II.
View Lesson
Lesson 8.7
World History 1750
Cold War and Decolonization
1914 CE – present
Connecting Struggles for Liberation
The fight for justice didn’t stop with independence. See how civil rights and antiapartheid movements challenged racism, inequality, and oppression while drawing strength from global connections.
View Lesson

Materials

The Holocaust
A close-up photograph of the forearms of a Holocaust survivor. There is a number tattooed on one of the person’s forearms.
OER Project
Article

The Holocaust External link

This article explores how antisemitism turned into state policy and how ordinary people became participants in one of the most devastating atrocities in world history.
Nuremberg Laws, Nuremberg Trials
Photo of a crowded courtroom at the Nuremberg trials. Those in attendance can be seen wearing headsets so that they were able to listen to the proceedings in their own native language.
OER Project
Article

Nuremberg Laws, Nuremberg Trials External link

This article traces how Nazi leaders used law to target specific groups, and how the world responded after the war. It highlights the dangers of unchecked power and the global push to define justice and human rights.
Why Does Genocide Still Happen?
A photograph of a stone memorial. It is built of several large stone blocks and reads “Never again” in several languages.
OER Project
Article

Why Does Genocide Still Happen? External link

Despite progress in human rights, genocide still happens. This article explores how and why such violence continues in the modern world.
Movements to End Racial Injustice
A black and white photo of people gathered at the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and below it a color photo of the same thing, but decades later.
World History AP®
Article

Movements to End Racial Injustice External link

After the Second World War, movements for civil rights and equality emerged. Despite some successes, racism and inequality remain unresolved.
A Century of Refugees
Photo of an overcrowded boat holding dozens of people in the middle of a blue body of water.
OER Project
Article

A Century of Refugees External link

In the last century, millions of people were forced to flee their homes. Meanwhile, governments around the world have increased their attempts to control and limit migration.

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