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1792 BCE
Hammurabi's Code
Hammurabi's Code was created by the Babylonian king Hammurabi. Hammurabi's Code was around 300 laws that discuss a wide range of subjects. This is the first ever example of codified laws. The main goal for Hammurabi's Code was to keep justice and legal rights of everyone in place. It was agreed by the general public for everyone to follow these rules. The consequences for breaking these laws were very harsh. They usually were based on social status and they focused on being fair, eye for an eye. -
534
Justinian's Code
The Justinian Code was created my Emperor Justinian in the Byzantine Empire. These were the first set of laws that gave women some power. The code is dived into four parts: The Code of Justinian, the Digest, the Institutes and the Novellae. This was the foundation for the Byzantine legal system for nine hundred years -
1066
Feudal System
The feudal system was established in 1066. The feudal system is mainly based on social status. The Lords had sections of land that they divided among commoners. If a vassal broke the law it was up to his lord to decide how to proceed. Because of this things were unorganized and inconsistent. One of the most common punishments was trial by combat. Eventually the king establishment a team of judges who roamed the country. They made their decisions by using Precedent. -
1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta introduced the Rule of Law in England. The Magna Carta explained that everyone had to follow the law and that the king couldn't abuse his subjects or remove their rights. It also introduced the idea of habeas corpus. Habeas corpus entitled people accused of a crime a trial in reasonable time. -
The Great Law of Peace
The Great Law of Peace was used to bring peace between the nations. The 5 nations were Cayuga, Seneca, Mohawk, Oneida and Onondaga. Instead of using written laws they used wampum belts. Wampum belts were made out of Wampum beads and displayed a series of symbols.
