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What is Law?

Laws are rules for conduct that are established by government. Citizens are required to follow these rules and face consequences if they fail to do so. The severity of the consequence depends on the nature of the law that they violate.

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What is Law?

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  1. Laws are rules for conduct that are established by government. Citizens are required to follow these rules and face consequences if they fail to do so. The severity of the consequence depends on the nature of the law that they violate. The first known set of laws is the Code of Hammurabi, which was compiled sometime between 1792 BCE and 1750 BCE when Hammurabi was the king of Babylon. The Code of Hammurabi lists 282 rules and consequences for a variety of actions. Included among these rules are the concepts of “an eye for an eye” (“If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out”) and “a tooth for a tooth” (“If a man knock out the teeth of his equal, his teeth shall be knocked out”). Why is it important for a society to have laws? Write 2-3 sentences for your answer.

  2. What is Law?

  3. Law (n.) • Rules and regulations made and enforced by government that regulate the conduct of people in a society.

  4. “Good” Laws • To be effective, laws must be… • CLEAR • Words reflect the intent of the lawmakers • CONSISTANT • FAIR • Constitutional • ENFORCEABLE

  5. Reasons for Laws • Protect basic human rights • Promote Fairness • Help Resolve Conflicts • Promote Order and Stability • Promote Desirable Social and Economic Behavior • Represent the will of the majority • Protect the rights of the minority

  6. Reasons for Laws • 1.) Protect basic human rights • Rights every human, no matter where they live, should have protected • Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) • Written by United Nations • Not a binding treaty • Agreed to by almost every country in the world, but…

  7. Universal Declaration of Human Rights All humans… • Are born free and equal • Have human rights, regardless of gender, skin color, language, religion, status, etc. • Have the right to live, and to live in freedom and safety • Have freedom from slavery • Have freedom from torture • Have a right to a public, impartial trial • Have a right to free speech • Have a right to their religion Etc…

  8. Reasons for Laws • 2.) Promote Fairness • Voting Rights Act of 1965 • Title IX • Affirmative Action

  9. Reasons for Laws • 3.) Help Resolve Conflicts • Creation of a tiered court system • Right to trial by jury

  10. Reasons for Laws • 4.) Promote Order and Stability • Laws against murder • Laws against theft

  11. Reasons for Laws • 5.) Promote desirable social and economic behavior • Tax exemptions for charities • Financial aid for college

  12. Reasons for Laws • 6.) Represent the will of the majority • Jim Crow Laws (1896-1965) • Driver’s License

  13. Reasons for Laws • Protect the rights of the minority • Voting Rights Act of 1965 • Affirmative Action • Gay marriage

  14. Who is a “Minority?” • A group that experiences a narrowing of opportunities (success, education, wealth, etc) that is disproportionately low compared to their numbers in society. • Can be based on… • Race -Religion -Disability • Ethnicity -Sexuality • Gender -Age …etc.

  15. Laws are based on values • Moral Values • Right vs. Wrong • Killing of an enemy solider? • Killing in self-defense? • Economic Values • Allocation, preservation, use, and distribution of wealth • Tax benefits to those who have a mortgage • Laws against shoplifting to discourage stealing

  16. Laws are based on values • Social Values • Issues that are important to society • Free public education up to grade 12 • Title IX • Political Values • Relationship between the gov’t and individuals • “Motor voter” law • Freedom of Speech

  17. Just like the goals of the legal system, the values that guide lawmaking can often overlap: • Theft has moral, economic and political issues tied to it. • Can create problems • Values differ based on region, religion, race, age, etc. • Values, especially social values, often change • Medical marijuana • Gay Marriage • Prohibition (1920-1933)

  18. Conflict of Values • Some laws designed to protect certain values may interfere with other important values • USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 • NSA PRISM Surveillance Program (Edward Snowden) • Both criticized for making certain searches and electronic eavesdropping easier • Both praised for protecting us from terrorist activity

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