Early Legal System Origins
What came first, Greek or Roman law?
What is Greek law.
This term refers to laws that have been written down and organized into a formal legal code.
What is codified.
What system of law used by the Hebrew people was derived from the Old Testament?
The Hebrew people followed Mosaic Law, a legal system based on the Ten Commandments and teachings found in the Old Testament
A Babylonian farmer accidentally floods his neighbor’s field, ruining the barley crop. Under the Code of Hammurabi, he must repay the neighbor for the full value of the lost harvest.
What is restitution.
Select the correct year for this event.
1. William the Conqueror becomes King of England and establishes feudal law.
A. 1450 CE
B. 1100s CE
C. 1804 CE
D. 1066 CE
D. 1066 CE
In 1066 CE, what was the belief that kings derive their authority directly from God, meaning their decisions were considered to reflect God’s intentions?
What is divine right.
This is when an offender provides compensation to the victim in order to repair the harm caused by a wrongdoing.
What is restitution.
How do you distinguish between laws and rules?
Laws are enforceable rules created by the government to regulate life in society and apply equally to everyone, while rules are guidelines made by smaller groups or organizations that only apply to the people within that group.
European Concept: A man steals a merchant’s goods in a medieval English town, and the local authorities arrest him, charge him formally, and sentence him to time in a public jail.
What is a crime.
Select the correct year for this event.
2. Henry II reforms English law and establishes the jury system.
A. 1450 CE
B. 1100s CE
C. 1215 CE
D. 1804 CE
B. 1100s CE
This is the principle that everyone, including leaders, must follow the law and that legal decisions must be based on established rules rather than personal power or arbitrary judgment.
What is Rule of Law.
These were individuals in feudal society who received land from a lord in exchange for loyalty, service, and obedience.
What are vassals.
How did the Twelve Tables and the increasing complexity of Roman society lead to the creation of lawyers?
The Twelve Tables established Rome’s first public legal code, and as Roman law expanded and became too complex for ordinary citizens to understand, specialized legal experts, early lawyers, emerged to interpret it.
A man injures a noble and causes him to lose an eye. Hammurabi’s law requires that the offender’s own eye be taken as punishment.
What is retribution.
Select the correct year for this event.
3. King John signs the Magna Carta.
A. 1450 CE
B. 1100s CE
C. 1804 CE
D. 1066 CE
E. 1215 CE
E. 1215 CE
What is the other name of the Magna Carta?
What is the Great Charter.
This principle requires that a detained person must be brought before a court to determine whether their imprisonment is lawful.
What is Habeas corpus.
How do Indigenous peoples’ worldviews differ from European worldviews in ways that shaped their legal traditions?
Indigenous worldviews emphasize interconnectedness, collective identity, harmony with nature, multiple truths, and spiritual foundations, while European worldviews prioritize human dominance, individualism, and singular universal truths.
After being accused of killing a neighbor during a dispute, an early Briton faces a punishment meant to match the seriousness of the offense, and before that penalty is decided, he may be required to undergo extra tests such as surviving a ________, ________, or ________.
What are Trial by Ordeal, Trial by Combat, and Trial by Oath‑Helping.
Select the correct year for this event.
4. The Great Law of Peace is established by the Iroquois Confederacy.
A. 1450 CE
B. 1804 CE
C. 1100s CE
D. 1215 CE
E. 1066 CE
A. 1450 CE
Which event occurred in 450 BCE?
A. Jury system introduced in ancient Greece.
B. Mosaic laws given to the Hebrew people.
C. Twelve Tables written in early Rome.
D. Roman law spreads throughout Europe (with law becoming a profession)
E. Justinian codifies Justinian’s Code.
C. Twelve Tables written in early Rome.
This is a form of punishment where the penalty is meant to match the seriousness of the offense committed.
What is retribution.
How did the Justinian Code, the Napoleonic Code, and the Magna Carta contribute to the development of Canadian law?
Canadian law was shaped by the Justinian Code’s organization of legal principles, the Napoleonic Code’s influence on Quebec’s civil‑law system, and the Magna Carta’s establishment of the Rule of Law and basic legal rights.
Indigenous Concept: A hunter violates community expectations by taking more game than agreed, creating tension within the group, and the elders work with him and the affected families to restore balance through apology and restitution.
What is a wrongdoing.
Select the correct year for this event.
5. The Napoleonic Code goes into effect in France.
A. 1450 CE
B. 1100s CE
C. 1804 CE
D. 1215 CE
E. 1066 CE
C. 1804 CE