Civil rights (Britannica)Human rights traditionally have been put in two categories, natural rights and civil rights. Natural rights are those that belong to individuals by virtue of their humanity: the right to remain alive, to sustain life with food and shelter, and to follow the dictates of their conscience. Civil rights are based on positive law; they are derived from laws and judicial decisions. For example, if it is a natural right to own property, civil law may regulate what one does with that property. Civil law also determines such things as who shall vote, who shall be allowed to drive a car, and the legal age for alcohol consumption.