A Peaceful World: Eleanor Roosevelt, the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Diligence

How did Eleanor Roosevelt display diligence while craft the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights? How did it help them advance freedom?

Walk-In-The-Shoes Questions
As you read, imagine you are the protagonist.

• What challenges are you facing?
• What fears or concerns might you have?
• What may prevent you from acting in the way you ought?

Observation Questions

• Who was Eleanor Roosevelt? Why was she chosen to be the United States’ delegate to the U.N. Human Rights Commission? What was her role at the U.N.?
• What was Eleanor’s purpose as the chair and member of the Commission?

Discussion Questions
Discuss the following questions with your students.

• What is the historical context of the narrative?
• What historical circumstances presented a challenge to the protagonist?
• How and why did the individual exhibit a moral and/or civic virtue in facing and overcoming the challenge?
• How did the exercise of the virtue benefit civil society?
• How might exercise of the virtue benefit the protagonist?
• What might the exercise of the virtue cost the protagonist?
• Would you react the same under similar circumstances? Why or why not?
• How can you act similarly in your own life? What obstacles must you overcome in order to do so?

• Students will examine Eleanor Roosevelt’s role in developing the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights.
• Students will apply their understanding of diligence to their own lives.
• Students will determine ways that they can use diligence to advance freedom.