Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights to go on show in UK

[Semicolon]

British Library to display 18th century American law documents in 800th anniversary show celebrating England's Magna Carta

Two of the most fundamentally important documents in American history, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, are to go on display in the UK for the first time next year as part of an exhibition about the Magna Carta.

To call the loans to the British Library a coup is perhaps understatement. "It is extremely exciting," said spokeswoman Claire Breay. "They are the biggest loans that the library has ever had, and fitting for the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta."

The Declaration of Independence is on loan from the New York Public Library. The text is that which Thomas Jefferson copied in his own hand, incorporating changes by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin.

It is particularly interesting because it shows passages subsequently excised in Congress, such as Jefferson's lengthy condemnation of slavery.

The Bill of Rights is coming from the US National Archives in Washington and was one of 14 copies made in 1789, one each for Congress and the original 13 states. Twelve survive and the one being shown in London is that which Delaware received.

Neither document has been in the UK before. Breay, the library's lead curator of medieval and earlier manuscripts, who is curating the show, said the documents represented "an amazing opportunity" for the British public.

She admitted that the US galleries had taken some persuading to allow such celebrated documents to travel; it was Magna Carta itself which sealed it.

The texts of both US documents can trace influences back to 1215. Colonists in America were driven by a desire and demand to have the same rights as the English, the rights embodied in Magna Carta.

Breay said: "Magna Carta is so revered itself in America I was able to put together what turned out to be a convincing case. I hope it will really excite the public."

There are four copies of Magna Carta, which was issued by King John and established for the first time that the king was subject to the law, not above it.

"There are four copies of the 1215 Magna Carta, one of the most famous historical documents in the world – two at the British Library and one each in Lincoln and Salisbury cathedrals."

Breay said she hoped the exhibition would encourage people to think about the document in a broader way. "I think it is really interesting that this 800-year-old piece of parchment with Latin writing, which most people can't read, is still such a powerful and totemic document."

Tony Marx, president of New York's public library, said he was proud that his organisation was taking part. "The bedrock of our modern day society is rooted in the historic documents of the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights – the result of brave citizens who understood the importance of change and reform."

Source

[Queen Victoria]

Sometime in the mid 1980's the Magna Carta was on display in various US cities.  I was able to see it. 

[Lestat]

Lets just make sure that the place of display is to be nowhere near the houses of parliament. Wouldn't want such important historical documents being returned soggy and covered in urine stains from certain freedom-despising sons of diseased crackwhores such as are known to heavily infest the aforementioned nidus of egomania, mendacity and privileged, pampered, stuck up, inbred pederasts; would we now?

[Semicolon]

Sometime in the mid 1980's the Magna Carta was on display in various US cities.  I was able to see it.

There's a copy in the National Archives.