Copy of Kovich's History of Law - Hammurabi's Code Presentation

Code of Hammurabi Presentation on History of Law

Day 2 - Hammurabi's Code, Sexual Harrassment in the Workplace, and the History of Law

Today we're looking at the history of law in the world.  It is important to note that law is constantly evolving.  Each of the records of Law that you will cover (list is below) had an impact on laws written hundreds or even thousands of years later.  For example, the Napoleonic Code was based heavily on the Justinian Code, and civil law in Quebec is based on the Napoleonic Code, and there are many many more examples.

The first set of ancient laws that we will look at is the Code of Hammurabi (this is a complete text of it).  In 1,800 B.C. the Amorite king, Hammurabi, took the throne of the new Babylonian dynasty in what is today modern Iraq. He was the sixth king of the first dynasty of Babylon. Immediatley he began to expand his new empire to eventually include Assyria and northern Syria. Hammurabi was a great military leader and lawgiver. In the first year of his reign Hammurabi fulfilled a promise to the Babylonian god Marduk and established an extensive law system which encompassed nearly every area of ancient life. The document was over 300 paragraphs long and included sections on social, moral, religious, commercial and civil law.

Kings of the day often posted large monuments listing their laws with an accompanying statue carving of themselves to identify the law with the king. Hammurabi was no different in this practice. There were many copies of this law erected throughout the kingdom usually in temples dedicated to local gods. One of the original pillars now resides in the Louvre Museum, in Paris.

Today I introduced the History of Law Project.  You are to create a presentation similar to my Hammurabi's Code presentation from yesterday.  The Project Outline is below as is the marking scheme for it.

History of Law Project
History of Law Marking Scheme

Day 1 - Intro to Law, the Star Chamber, Lost in a Cave, and the Charter

Today we're having a look at the old Law Gem, Lost in a Cave.  In your assigned groups you are to address all of the questions and then present your findings to the class on large chart paper.

Some of the main legal points addressed here are (these are notes from today's class discussion and your presentations):

1. There is a difference between Rules and Laws.
Rules generally apply  within a restricted situation, e.g. Hockey Game, Game of Monopoly, School Environment, Work Environment, your own Home . . . etc.

Laws apply to everyone in the country equally (including those who write the laws and those in political power).   Laws can be quite powerful and they might be able to take away your freedom (jail) or money (fines).

2. Society - everyone is governed by the laws (rules) of that society equally.  The boys in the cave, all Canadians, etc.

3. Are they part of society of old?  Yes, although physically separated they still have the old society's mindset, however, they're making their own laws that will govern only them.

4. Despite their isolation, Canadian Law still governs their actions.  What Canadian Law does NOT account for is NATURAL LAW - which, without food for too long, would have killed all three boys.

I also distributed your texts today.  These are brand new, All About Law, 6th Ed., Murphy et al, and I have put your names in the book.  I explained that at the end of the semester I'll collect these and my expectation is that they are still in excellent, almost pristine shape, with no graffiti or other marks and that the binding is still in tact so please take good care of these books.  For a list of who has which book please see my Student Text List.  I've also posted this in the Information You Might Need link, upper right of the blog main page.

Tonight I expect each of you to return to class tomorrow having had a good look at your assigned part of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, p. 598, and ready to explain it to the class tomorrow.  Please don't worry, I'll help you all along in this task.