Tab next for skip to main

Skip to main content

 Deutsch
 Français

Utility
 For partners 
 Community 
 Contact us

Main navigation 2022

 Products
 Solutions
 Resources
 Services & Support
 About
Search

Search

CTA

 Get a demo

 Streamline Documents
 Blog

10 documents that changed history

4 min read
Jul 3, 2020
Kelli Blystone
Social and Blog Manager Conga
SHARE LinkedInFacebookTwitter
We know documents run business. From sales proposals and contracts to
employee offer letters, documents are at the core of every business
transaction. But what about governments, schools, families, and even entire
social movements? When you look at any defining changes or actions that
have taken place throughout history, from the highest government levels all
the way down to individual families, documents are at the core of each one.
We’re taking a look at ten monumental documents that have changed the
course of history, from medieval ink on parchment, to the digital recordings of
Supreme Court rulings.

Magna Carta, 1215

The first official document to broach the subject of human rights and liberties
stems back to medieval England. The Magna Carta, which was created
through negotiations between King John and his barons, included a famous
clause that, for the first time, gave all “free men” the right to justice and a fair
trial. And while that applied to very few people at the time—most people in
1215 were unfree peasants ruled by their landlords—this single clause has
influenced governments, lawmakers, and rulers of all kinds in the centuries
that followed. Both the United States’ Declaration of Independence and the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights contain the ideals originated in the
Magna Carta—the belief that everyone, including our leaders, must obey the
law.

Gutenberg Bible, 1455

Religion aside, it’s an indisputable fact that the Bible is one of the most
influential documents in our history. The Gutenberg Bible, named after its
creator, Johannes Gutenberg, is the first complete book printed from movable
type. This document set the stage for print production moving forward.

Declaration of Independence, 1776

Perhaps the most well-known document in American history, the Declaration

of Independence was completed on July 4, 1776. This historical document
granted Americans independence from the British Crown and to this day,
American independence is still celebrated on July 4. The document is
comprised of an introduction, a preamble, a body divided into two parts, and a
conclusion, the contents of which bear great importance on human history.
The Declaration of Independence marks the birth of a nation, with the threads
of that nation’s history, its impact on the world and the growth of democracy
all running back to this one single document. 
Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights, 1787 & 1791

The Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation with a new form of

government in 1787. It created a federal system with a national government
composed of three separated powers, with principles covering checks and
balances, individual rights, liberty, limited government, natural rights theory,
republican government, and popular sovereignty. Not all states ratified the
Constitution immediately, however. Many were calling for greater
constitutional protection for individual liberties, which eventually led to the
passing of the Bill of Rights in December of 1791 (which was, of course,
inspired in part by the Magna Carta).

Emancipation Proclamation, 1863

While the American Civil War began as a conflict focused around the
preservation of the Union, it eventually transformed into a battle for human
freedom. Abraham Lincoln personally viewed slavery as abhorrent, and about
a year into the war, abolition had become a sound military strategy. Lincoln
issued the Emancipation Proclamation, stating that in all states still in
rebellion as of January 1, 1863, he would declare their slaves free. 

While the Proclamation itself was an effective war measure, Lincoln

recognized it might have no constitutional validity once the war was over,
meaning the legal framework of slavery would still exist. Lincoln and the
Republican party then committed to creating a constitutional amendment to
abolish slavery. By December 18, 1865, the 13th Amendment was ratified,
which ensured that forever after “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude …
shall exist within the United States.” 

Treaty of Versailles, 1919

The signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919 officially ended

World War I. The treaty was negotiated among the Allied powers, with little
participation by Germany. The document was lengthy, consisting of 15 parts
and 440 articles, which reassigned German boundaries, assigned liability for
reparations, and reduced Germany’s armed forces to very low levels. Part I of
the treaty created the Covenant of the New League of Nations, a diplomatic
group created to solve disputes between countries before they escalated to
war.
The 19th Amendment, 1920

The 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920, giving women in the United

States the right to vote for the first time in the nation’s history. The women’s
suffrage movement actually began in 1848, but it would take another 50 years
for Nineteenth Amendment to pass. This was the single largest extension of
democratic voting rights in U.S. history, achieved peacefully, through
democratic processes and set into action with the signing of one document. 

Brown v. Board of Education, 1954

This milestone Supreme Court decision ended racial segregation of

children in public schools, nearly 60 years after the “separate but equal” ruling
in Plessy v. Ferguson. The decision, which found separation on the basis of
race to be unconstitutional, served as a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement
of the 1950s. 

Obergefell v. Hodges, 2015

Another landmark civil rights Supreme Court case makes the list, with the
ruling of Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015. The court ruled that the fundamental
right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by both the Due Process
Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The
ruling enforces the same terms and conditions, as well as all the
accompanying rights and responsibilities, that apply to marriages of opposite-
sex couples to apply also to the marriages of same-sex couples.

How the future of documents is transforming

The most important moments in history have been recorded, ratified, and
overturned in documents, in one form or another. As technology continues
to transform the way we document and consume information, it’s safe to
assume that documents—even in digital formats—will remain at the core of all
decisions. 

Part of that is dependent upon the change agents in our organizations—those

who drive the transformations, including the shift to digital documents. Agents
of change have always been here, working behind the scenes and
questioning the way things work. Many of the history-altering documents
above surely stemmed from the ideals of change agents. And today, these
free-thinking, problem-solving, and inspirational innovators are still vital to
pushing business forward as they question the status quo. Learn more about
how real companies are transforming in our latest eBook, How Agents of
Change transform business: A real-life guide to conquering obstacles.

Related Resources

Business document automation: a complete guide

Streamline Documents
Business document automation: a complete guide

20 min read
Download now
Conga Composer data sheet
Streamline Documents
Conga Composer data sheet

3 min read
Download now
Batch and Trigger data sheet
Streamline Documents
Batch and Trigger data sheet

3 min read
Download now

View all
 Get Conga's latest insights delivered to your inbox
weekly.
Company email
By submitting this form you confirm that you agree to the storing and processing of your personal

data by Conga as described in our Privacy Notice.

Submit

11,000+ Conga customers around the globe. 

+1 650-445-7700
All locations

Footer 2022

o REVENUE LIFECYCLE SOLUTION
o Document Generation
o Contract Lifecycle Management
o Configure, Price, Quote
o Salesforce Optimization

o RESOURCES
o Customer Stories
o Analyst Reports
o Blog
o Events
o Glossary

o ABOUT
o Conga Way
o Careers
o Leadership
o Newsroom
o Contact us

o LIFECYCLE STAGES
o Propose and Quote
o Negotiate and Execute
o Manage and Fulfill
o Renew and Expand

o PARTNERS
o Find a Partner
o Become a Partner
o Partner Community

o SUPPORT
o Product documentation
o Training
o Conga Community
o Conga Community FAQs
Get Conga's latest insights delivered to your inbox
weekly.
Company email
By submitting this form you confirm that you agree to the storing and processing of your personal

data by Conga as described in our Privacy Notice.

Submit

Footer Utility
© 2022 All Rights Reserved
 Privacy
 Legal
 System Status

Social
 LinkedIn

 Twitter

 Facebook

 Instagram

 Youtube

Conga's cookie notice.

We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. Learn more about your cookie choices and change your
preferences in our Conga cookie notice.
Accept All Cookies