The Signing of the Magna Carta

King John signing the Magna Carta

It is an influential document in world history. It constricted the powers of a monarch in an era of absolute power of kings. It set the tone for the concept of civil rights. The Magna Carta of 1215 constrained the power of England’s King John and placed law above all else, including powerful monarchs.

Nuremberg Laws

Adolf Hitler

Nazis and its leader, Adolf Hitler, became notorious for their anti-Semitism. The Holocausts displayed their brutality driven by racism and hatred towards the Jews. Leading to the Final Solution and to the death of millions of Jews, during early years in power, they instituted new laws that made anti-Semitism systematic and legal and to protect the so-called superior Aryan race of Germany. These laws were dubbed as the Nuremberg Laws.

Eye for an Eye - The Code of Hammurabi

Hammurabi

Laws govern people. It set the conduct of every individual in a land with a government. It prevents chaos and anarchy. Law making had existed ever since man had begun to live together – in a community to be precise. But codification of law begun much later. The earliest form of law found by archaeologist was the Code of Hammurabi. The code was instituted by the great king of early Babylonian Empire, Hammurabi.

Purity Law: Protecting Beer in Bavaria

William (Wilhelm) IV, Duke of Bavaria

Before the advent of water treatment and water safety laws, water quality was very poor. It was only use for washing, bathing, but never for human drinking. It was a custom of the people to drink processed beverages, like wine, ale, and also for beer. Popularity of beer led into problems in productions. In order to protect the consumers of beer, two dukes enacted the Purity.

Decree 770 of Ceausescu

Nicolae Ceausescu

Romania, 1966 – the communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu just took power a year ago. As the new leader of Romania he aimed to make Romania independent from the influence of its powerful neighbor, the Union of Socialist Republics or the USSR. To break free from the Soviet hegemony, economic independence was crucial. One way to achieve economic independence was to have a large population that could drive a consumer-led growth and increase of work force. However, abortion was legal and prevalent in Romania. In order to reverse the abortion trend, Ceausescu resorted to abolish it with his Decree 770.