Tag Archives: laws

January 31, 1983

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Joel Byers

On January 31, 1983, Great Britain enacted a new law to help reduce driving deaths. All drivers and front-seat passengers were required to wear seatbelts. Libertarians worldwide decry this new law and claim that Britain was trying to… Continue reading →

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September 1, 1922

Posted on September 1, 2020 by Joel Byers

On September 1, 1922, a new law went into effect in New York City. It required all ‘pool’ rooms to change their names to ‘billiard’ rooms or halls. Why? Because some now unknown alderman didn’t think the word pool was… Continue reading →

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February 5, 1777

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Joel Byers

On February 5, 1777, Georgia became the first US state to abolish the entail and primogeniture system of inheritance. What is entail and primogeniture? It’s where the first born or eldest surviving son is the only legal inheritor of his father’s land. The state of Georgia said, no, if there is no will, then the … Continue reading →

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January 8, 1902

Posted on January 8, 2020 by Joel Byers

On January 8, 1902, the state of New York passed a law that criminalized the act of men turning around on a street and “looking at a woman in that way.” Assemblyman Francis G. Landon, the lawmaker who championed the bill, also put in penalties for offenders. First time offenders would be fined $25. Repeat … Continue reading →

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December 31, 1841

Posted on December 31, 2019 by Joel Byers

On December 31, 1841, the State of Alabama enacted the first dental legislation in the United States. The law required a person to have eight or fewer teeth before they could marry their first cousin, fourteen or fewer to marry a second cousin, and no restrictions for the marriage to a third cousin or higher. … Continue reading →

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November 30, 1487

Posted on November 30, 2019 by Joel Byers

On November 30, 1487, Germany enacted the first German Beer Purity Law in Munich by Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria. He stated that beer should be brewed only from water, malt and hops. This prove so popular that in the 1930s and 1940s, Germany tried to enact human purity laws, which did not prove as … Continue reading →

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November 4, 1646

Posted on November 4, 2019 by Joel Byers

On November 4, 1646, the Massachusetts Bay Colony (which was to later become the state of Massachusetts) passed a law that made it illegal to deny that the Christian Bible was the word of God. The penalty was death. There is nothing funny about this. It shows why every religion should be denied a foothold … Continue reading →

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September 20, 1995

Posted on September 20, 2019 by Joel Byers

On September 20, 1995, the US House of Representatives voted to do away with the national speed limit and allow the States to set their own. States like Wyoming, Montana and California were ecstatic, since on many of their highways a majority of drivers ignored the 55 mph maximum anyway. Hill Valley, California did establish … Continue reading →

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April 23, 2009

Posted on April 23, 2019 by Joel Byers

On April 23, 2009 in Canada, the Apology Act passed. This law made it illegal to assume that a Canadian was at fault for just saying, “I’m sorry” or “Sorry aboot that”. In fact, the national greeting in Canada is two Canadians just apologizing to each other for about five minutes. Lawyers were taking advantage … Continue reading →

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March 8, 1894

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Joel Byers

On March 8, 1894, the first dog license law was enacted in the state of New York. This was a tiered statute, with different types of licensing for the various classes of dogs. Small dogs, such as a terrier were a Class A, medium dogs like beagles were a Class B, and large dogs like … Continue reading →

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