Final answer:
The historical context ranges from the denial of veterans' pensions due to technicalities to the lack of required notifications of legal rights to the accused prior to interrogation, which eventually resulted in the establishment of the Miranda rights based on the Fifth Amendment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The provided excerpts touch on historical accounts and legal cases concerning the rights of individuals in different contexts, with focuses on rights of veterans, rights of the accused, and the rights of those subject to slavery.
Prior to any mandated changes, officers, veterans, or individuals could claim rights such as pension or fair treatment only to be denied owing to technicalities or absence of statutory entitlement.
Furthermore, the mention of individuals not being notified of their right to counsel during interrogation brings forth the constitutional question related to the Fifth Amendment, which was notably addressed in the milestone Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona (1966).
This case established the precedent that police must inform suspects of their rights, including the right to counsel and protection against self-incrimination, before interrogation begins as a safeguard against coercive interrogation practices.