A law can be defined as a set of rules, regulations or principles that are created for a group of people or population with the intention of establishing and organized society. The origins of law can be traced back to the formation of the ancient Greece and Mesopotamia states. At the time, the people in these states did not have a system of governance and relied on anarchy and barbarism to settle their disputes (Daintith 50).
The United States is considered to be a fairly young country compared to The UK, Germany, and China. Despite this, its legal system is attributed for shaping some of the domestic and international laws observed today. However, the countries legal system is influenced by that of England which was once its colonial master. After the United States gained its independence from England, it formed its own culture and traditions. In turn, these practices have become the determining factors for the now existing the United States constitution (Heller 82).
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"What Is Law?".
The American constitution was formed by the founding fathers in order to incorporate all the citizens of American decent at the time. The laws focused on promoting equality amongst all the races, creeds, different sexes, and social classes. Therefore, American law is defined by the rules and principles that control the social, economic, environmental, and political organization of its people. A large section of the constitution has been amended to meet the changing social and global factors over the years (Daintith 110).
To summarize, the change of culture is responsible for the introduction of new laws and regulations. Each society is governed by laws that are reflective of its citizens. As such, the American constitution caters for its citizens by observing ancient and modern legal provisions.
- Daintith, Terence. Finders Keepers?: How the Law of Capture Shaped the World Oil Industry. Washington, DC: RFF Press, 2010. Print.
- Heller, Kevin J. The Nuremberg Military Tribunals and the Origins of International Criminal Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print.
