JURIST - This Day at Law

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72793462009-07-14T00:00:11.881-03:00JURIST - This Day at LawBernard Hibbittsnoreply@blogger.comBlogger518125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-7287625668303344152009-07-14T00:00:00.004-03:002009-07-14T00:00:02.560-03:00Bastille Day in France

On July 14, 1789, ordinary citizens of France stormed the Bastille prison in France and freed prisoners held there. The event has come to symbolize the opening salvo in the French Revolution. One year later, France celebrated the establishment of a short-lived constitutional monarchy in Fête de la Fédération. The anniversary, Bastille Day, is celebrated today as a major French national

Ryan Oldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12393322696621055001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-1121087823871038212009-07-14T00:00:00.002-03:002009-07-14T00:00:01.850-03:00Congress passes Sedition Act

On July 14, 1798, Congress passed the Sedition Act, which declared that any treasonable activity, including the publication of "any false, scandalous and malicious writing," was a high misdemeanor, punishable by fine and imprisonment. Learn more about the Sedition Act from the National Archives and Records Administration.

Bernard Hibbittsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-89866984894981007052009-07-13T00:00:00.005-03:002009-07-13T10:13:58.872-03:00Continental Congress passes Northwest Ordinance

On July 13, 1787, the Continental Congress, operating under the Articles of Confederation, passed the Northwest Ordinance. Considered to be the most important piece of legislation passed under the Articles of Confederation, the Northwest Ordinance created and organized the Northwest Territory, which would become that states of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and part of Minnesota.Learn more

Ryan Oldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12393322696621055001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-1121087362216783452009-07-13T00:00:00.001-03:002009-07-13T00:01:03.516-03:00Last hanging of a woman in the UK

On July 13, 1955, Ruth Ellis became the last woman to be hanged in Britain after being convicted of murder. Learn more about the hanging and trial of Ruth Ellis.

Bernard Hibbittsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-68804182364148938202009-07-12T00:00:00.005-03:002009-07-12T00:01:02.876-03:00France promulgates Civil Constitution of the Clergy

On July 12, 1790, the French National Assembly promulgated the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. While previous legislation passed by the National Assembly already seized church lands and ended monastic vows, the Civil Constitution finally destroyed monastic orders in France.

Ryan Oldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12393322696621055001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-1120914293537501142009-07-12T00:00:00.001-03:002009-07-12T00:00:01.436-03:00Congress passed 16th Amendment

On July 12, 1909, Congress passed the Sixteenth Amendment, giving Congress the power to collect income taxes. The Amendment was ratified and went into force in 1913.Learn more about the history of the 16th Amendment.

Bernard Hibbittsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-12730044301945025132009-07-11T00:00:00.003-03:002009-07-11T00:00:03.570-03:00William Howard Taft becomes Supreme Court Chief Justice after serving as President

On July 11, 1921, William Howard Taft was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He had previously served as U.S. President from 1907 through 1911. Taft is still the only man to have served in both offices.

Ryan Oldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12393322696621055001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-1121086170202771122009-07-11T00:00:00.001-03:002009-07-11T00:00:03.197-03:00Fall of Srebrenica precipitates massacre of Bosnian Muslims

On July 11, 1995, Bosnian Serb forces captured the predominantly-Muslim town of Srebrenica, which had been designated a "safe zone" protected by Dutch NATO peacekeepers. In the days that follows, the Serb army and militias separated men from women and children, taking the men away in buses and killing some 7000 in mass-executions or ambushes. Learn more about the Srebrenica massacre.

Bernard Hibbittsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-18121692785463548682009-07-10T00:00:00.005-03:002009-07-10T06:56:25.135-03:00French agents sink Greenpeace vessel off New Zealand

On July 10, 1985, French agents bombed the Greenpeace ship, Rainbow Warrior, off the coast of New Zealand, causing it to sink. The incident lead to litigation between France and New Zealand in the International Court of Justice.Learn more about New Zealand v. France from the Institute for International Law and Justice.

Ryan Oldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12393322696621055001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-1120913961568966772009-07-10T00:00:00.001-03:002009-07-10T00:00:02.716-03:00Scopes "Monkey Trial" began in Tennessee

On July 10, 1925, the Scopes "Monkey Trial" on the teaching of evolution began in Daton, Tennessee, pitting Clarence Darrow and John Scopes against William Jennings Bryant. Learn more about the Scopes Monkey Trial in JURIST's Famous Trials series.

Bernard Hibbittsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-1120912878211578892009-07-09T00:00:00.004-03:002009-07-09T00:00:08.656-03:00Eight states ratify Articles of Confederation

On July 9, 1778, eight states - New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and South Carolina - signed and ratified the Articles of Confederation, the first American constitution. The Articles took formal effect after ratification by Maryland on March 1, 1781.

Bernard Hibbittsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-36278532985428514302009-07-09T00:00:00.003-03:002009-07-09T00:00:05.939-03:00African Union established

On July 9, 2002, the African Union (AU) was established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Read the Constitutive Act of the African Union.

Ryan Oldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12393322696621055001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-1120226934078160652009-07-08T00:01:00.001-03:002009-07-08T00:01:02.424-03:00Vermont became first state to abolish slavery

On July 8, 1777, formal adoption of its new state constitution made Vermont the first state to formally abolish slavery.

Bernard Hibbittsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-61106415621314893562009-07-08T00:00:00.006-03:002009-07-08T00:00:15.942-03:00NATO invites former Warsaw Pact members to join

On July 8, 1997, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) invited the former communist nations of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic to join the alliance. This was the first invitation of former communist nations to join NATO since the end of the Cold War. The three countries would later attain membership in 1999. Since then, former communist states Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Croatia,

Ryan Oldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12393322696621055001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-27655956430797097092009-07-07T00:00:00.004-03:002009-07-07T00:00:12.500-03:00Canada enacts Official Languages Act

On July 7, 1969, Canada enacted the Official Languages Act, which made French and English the country's official languages. As such, French was made equal to English in the Canadian government.

Ryan Oldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12393322696621055001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-1120226888881588612009-07-07T00:00:00.001-03:002009-07-07T00:00:13.125-03:00Congress passed first land grant act selling public lands to fund state colleges

On July 7, 1862, Congress passed the first land grant act under which which public lands were to be sold to support state colleges. Learn more about the so-called Morrill Act.

Bernard Hibbittsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-1120226847675831052009-07-06T00:01:00.001-03:002009-07-06T00:01:02.492-03:00Sir Thomas More beheaded for treason

On July 6, 1535, former Lord Chancellor Sir Thomas More was beheaded in London after being convicted of treason against King Henry VIII. More had not supported the King's policy toward the church or his marriage to Anne Boleyn, had refused to swear to the Act of Succession, and had similarly declined to take the Oath of Supremacy. His last words before execution are said to have been "The King's

Bernard Hibbittsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-31610665573873371922009-07-06T00:00:00.002-03:002009-07-06T00:00:07.790-03:00Supreme Court upholds death sentence for racially motivated murder

On July 6, 1983, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld that death sentence that was given in part for the racial motivation behind a murder in Barclay v. Florida.

Ryan Oldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12393322696621055001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-30320696273230174202009-07-05T00:00:00.003-03:002009-07-05T00:00:04.787-03:00Israel enacts the Law of Return

On July 5, 1950, the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, enacted the Law of Return, which granted all Jewish people to right to Israeli citizenship.

Ryan Oldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12393322696621055001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-1120226795090347322009-07-05T00:00:00.001-03:002009-07-05T00:00:09.829-03:00Jury selection began for Chicago "Black Sox" baseball trial

On July 5, 1921, jury selection began in the trial of eight Chicago White Sox baseball players accused of throwing the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. "Shoeless Joe" Jackson and seven others were eventually acquitted, but were later barred from baseball for life. Learn more about the "Black Sox" trial in JURIST's Famous Trials series.

Bernard Hibbittsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-41481875653824443462009-07-04T00:00:00.003-03:002009-07-04T00:00:02.842-03:00India independence act presented to UK House of Commons

On July 4, 1947, the Indian Independence Act was presented to the British House of Commons. The Act presented the plan that would divide British India into two independent countries, India and Pakistan.Learn more about the Indian Independence Act from the UK Parliament.

Ryan Oldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12393322696621055001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-1120226663300948612009-07-04T00:00:00.001-03:002009-07-04T00:00:05.821-03:00Continental Congress adopted Declaration of Independence

On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence separating the thirteen American colonies from Great Britain. Learn more about Independence Day from the Library of Congress.

Bernard Hibbittsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-72359701194953983232009-07-03T00:00:00.003-03:002009-07-03T00:00:03.721-03:00UK ends food rationing

On July 3, 1954, the United Kingdom ended food rationing that had begun during World War II on January 8, 1940.Learn more about British food rationing from the BBC.

Ryan Oldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12393322696621055001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-1120226611734931142009-07-03T00:00:00.001-03:002009-07-03T00:00:04.890-03:00US Supreme Court said FCC could reprimand radio station for broadcasting comedian Carlin's "Filthy Words"

On July 3, 1978, the US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Federal Communications Commission had a right to reprimand New York radio station WBAI for broadcasting George Carlin's Filthy Words sketch. Read FCC v. Pacifica Foundation.

Bernard Hibbittsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279346.post-11400569619616993332009-07-02T00:00:00.004-03:002009-07-02T16:18:04.761-03:00Steam engine patented

On July 2, 1698, the first steam engine was patented by Thomas Savery. However, the machine had only limited power. Thomas Newcomen in 1712 and James Watt in 1774 would later make the steam engine truly useful, revolutionizing travel.Learn more about the Steam Engine from the University of Dayton.

Ryan Oldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12393322696621055001noreply@blogger.com0