Major legal systems Early History of Law In

Major legal systems

Early History of Law • In ancient societies, local customs and beliefs made up the law. • Customs were not written down and instead were passed on by word of mouth. • As populations increased, laws became more complex and codification became necessary. • Codification: a written collection of laws.

Evolution of Law • Code of Hammurabi, c. 1750 BCE: – One of the earliest records of written law. – King Hammurabi of Babylon codified nearly 300 laws in columns of stone. • Mosaic Law, c. 1240 BCE: – Based on the Ten Commandments. – Bible states that Moses received these laws from God on two stone tablets. • Justinian Code, c. 550 CE – Byzantine Emperor Justinian codified 1000 years of Roman laws. – First legal code that emphasized equality under the law.

Cont………………. • Magna Carta, 1215: – English noblemen forced King John to sign this document that established the rule of law - that all people, including the king, had to obey the same laws; no one was above the law. • Napoleonic Code, 1804: – A new set of civil laws for French people. – Became the model for most of Europe. – Also referred to as the French Civil Code.

Feudalism is a system which existed in the Middle Ages, in which people received land protection from a lord when they worked and fought for him §In 1066, King William of England introduced a feudal system. §Under this system, the king owned all of the land divided most of it among his lords or noblemen. §The Lords had their own servants, or vassals. §If a vassal broke the law, their Lord could punish them however they saw fit. §Punishments were inconsistent and unfair.