| Magna Carta | 1215 | England | A charter of rights agreed to by King John of England, often viewed as a cornerstone of liberty in the English-speaking world. |
| The Declaration of Independence | 1776 | USA | A document declaring the 13 American colonies’ independence from British rule. |
| US Constitution | 1787 | USA | The supreme law of the United States, highlighting democratic principles and human rights. |
| The Bill of Rights | 1791 | USA | The first ten amendments to the US Constitution, outlining individual freedoms. |
| Emancipation Proclamation | 1863 | USA | Document by Abraham Lincoln declaring all enslaved people in Confederate territory to be free. |
| Treaty of Versailles | 1919 | France | Treaty to end World War I and hold Germany accountable. |
| The Universal Declaration of Human Rights | 1948 | UN | Document by the United Nations outlining fundamental human rights. |
| Indian Independence Act | 1947 | UK / India | Document that partitioned British India into the two new independent dominions of India and Pakistan. |
| The Charter of the United Nations | 1945 | USA | Foundational treaty of the United Nations, a global intergovernmental organization. |
| Nuremberg Laws | 1935 | Germany | Antisemitic and racist laws during Nazi regime. |
| Hammurabi’s Code | 1754 BC | Babylon | One of the oldest deciphered writings of significant length in the world. |
| The Treaty of Tordesillas | 1494 | Spain / Portugal | Agreement between Spain and Portugal aimed at settling disputes over lands newly discovered. |
| The Gutenberg Bible | 1455 | Germany | The first major book printed in the West using movable type. |
| The Treaty of Waitangi | 1840 | New Zealand | Agreement that is considered the founding document of New Zealand. |
| The Domesday Book | 1086 | England | Record of the “Great Survey” of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086. |
| The Rosetta Stone | 196 BC | Egypt | Stele inscribed with decree issued in 196 BC, instrumental in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs. |
| The United States Declaration of War on Japan | 1941 | USA | Document formalizing the United States’ entry into WWII following the Pearl Harbor attack. |
| The Ninety-Five Theses | 1517 | Germany | Proposals by Martin Luther for an academic disputation, led to the Protestant Reformation. |
| Palestinian Declaration of Independence | 1988 | Palestine | Unilateral declaration of independence of a State of Palestine. |
| The Federalist Papers | 1787–1788 | USA | Collection of 85 articles and essays promoting the ratification of the United States Constitution. |
