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: Napoleonic Code, 1804: 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 Feudalism is a system which existed in the Middle Ages, in which people received land and 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 and 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.