1. Unit 4: Law & the Judicial System
History of Law
Unit 4: Law & the Judicial System

2. ANCIENT INFLUENCE Code of Hammurabi: 1760 BC Ten Commandments: 1200 BC
First known system of written law
Over 250 harsh laws
Legal Code – what is legal and illegal
Ten Commandments: 1200 BC
Found in the Bible
Moral Code – statements of right and wrong

3. Ancient Influence Justinian Codes: 533 Draconian Law: 621 BC
First written law of Athens, Greece
Very harsh
Justinian Codes: 533
Harsh Roman law
Emperor Justinian I compiled/simplified the previous Roman codes of law

4. European INFLUENCE British Common Law: 1100s Magna Carta: 1215
Most important source of American law
Common law - based on previous court decision
Est in many English colonies
Magna Carta: 1215
Limited powers of English king
Granted new rights and laws

5. European Influence The Social Contract: 1762
English Bill of Rights: 1689
Further restricted the British monarchy
Holds many ideas we have in Bill of Rights
The Social Contract: 1762
Book by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Based on enlightenment ideas of John Locke
Believed govt can only be ideal if approved by the ppl

6. North American INFLUENCE
Iroquois Constitution: 1500s
Constitution of confed of 6 Native American tribes
Inspired Ben Franklin & James Madison when writing U.S. Constitution
House of Burgesses: 1619
First rep assembly in North America
Beginning of self-govt and law-making in colonies

7. North American Influence
Mayflower Compact: 1620
Set up direct democracy for Pilgrims in Plymouth
Declaration of Independence: 1776
Holds many ideas of Rousseau & John Locke
Gives reason for colonies becoming independent
Articles of Confederation: 1777
First attempt at govt in the US (failed)
Thrown out to give more power to fed govt