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Jan 1, 604
The Seventeen Article Constitution of Japan
More Info <i>"Peace and harmony should be respected because they are very important for intergroup relations."</i> Written by the Prince regent Shotoku, the Constitution shaped morality and law in Japan. It placed emphasis on "Oriental Law", which aimed to prevent disputes and was grounded in Buddhist values. In addition, it detailed the values that should have been expected of government officials, -
Jan 1, 653
Tang Code
More Info 400 years after China was united, the empire created a code of law during the Tang Dynasty. After many modifications and revisions of earlier Chinese procedures, the code was finally completed in 653 by Emperor Gaozong. The Code was essentially a list of crimes and their respective punishments. -
Jan 1, 1100
The First Law School
More Info In 12th century Italy, law students were required to hire a teacher in order to learn Roman Law and Justinian's Code. Irnerius, a popular teacher, formed a school due to the large number of students who wanted his aid. Eventually, by 1150, his law school had over 10 thousand students. -
Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
More Info <i>No freeman shall be captured or imprisoned [...] except by lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land."</i> In 1215, King John of England signed the Magna Carta, a document which granted several rights to the people (including the right to habeas corpus). This came in response to John's heavy taxation, which lead to his barons threatening rebellion. -
English Bill of Rights
More Info This bill, a predecessor to the American Bill of Rights put in place by the British parliament, placed strict restrictions on the monarchy's legal powers. Among these, there was most notably the limitation on the Royal family's ability to raise money through the taxation of parliament. -
The Constitution of the United States of America
More Info The Declaration of Independence, one of the most famous legal documents in history, saw the separation of the United States from its former colonizer. It was the first time a government opposed the theory that certain individuals had the inherent right to rule over others. -
The Napoleonic Code
More Info During Napoleonic-era France, a new code of laws was adopted. It presented many key values of the French Revolution, such as liberty and equality before the law. The Code, which was inspired from Roman law, became a model for future civil law systems. The Code was written in a way that made it accessible to the public and regulated many private law matters. -
The First Geneva Convention
More Info The first of the Geneva Conventions saw the congregation of many European powers in creating a document intended to provide basic human rights in times of war. Updated 3 times over the next 80 years, the document was the first to acknowledge the necessity of standards of decency during war. -
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Nuremberg Trials
More Info <i>"The true test is not the existence of the superior order but whether omoral choice [in executing it] was in fact possible."</i> After the horrors of World War II, a panel of 8 judges gathered in Nuremberg to try Nazi officials for their war crimes. During these trials, 24 high ranking officers were executed. The trials showed that even during military law, basic moral standards still applied. -
Justinian's Code
More Info <i>The things which are common to all (and not capable of being owned) are: the air, running water, the sea and the seashores."</i> The Corpus Juris Civilis, also known as "Justinian's Code", is a codification of Roman Law which served as a basis of modern-day law. Written by the titular Byzantine emperor, it was inspired by Greek legal principles.
