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(More Info) In 507 B.C., democracy was first introduced and practiced in Ancient Greek Law. The Athenian democracy was a form of government involving male citizens who could participate in the assembly that controlled the city-state. Tort laws, family laws, procedural laws, and public laws that were initially utilized in the Ancient Greek System evolved and began to apply more to the Canadian Legal System. -
The Roman Republic, a democracy, was established in 509 BCE. The Senate presided over the administration, which was made up of four assemblies: the Comitia Curiata, the Comitia Centuriata, the Concilium Plebis, and the Comitia Tributa. Canadian law is legally diverse, as it incorporates elements of common law, civil law, and Indigenous legal systems. Roman law has made significant contributions to both the common law and civil law traditions in Canada. -
The first English Parliament was formed in 1215, following the signing of the Magna Carta, which established the rights of rich landowners to act as advisors to the king in his Great Council on governmental affairs. The outdated system led to King Henry II's formation of common law, which is essentially what Canadian law is built on. He also contributed to the development of the jury system, which is significant in Canada because juries are used to decide the outcome of a case. -
The Magna Carta, published in June 1215, was the first document to establish the principle that the king and his government were not above the law. It attempted to prevent the king from abusing his power and imposed boundaries on royal authority by declaring the law as a force in and of itself. The legal system in English Canada, as well as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, are influenced by the Magna Carta as it is a significant emblem of freedom, justice, and human rights in Canada. -
(More Info) The Iroquois Confederacy formed five, eventually six, different nations. It represented respect for diversity and a belief in human equality, which influenced the Canadian government to be more accepting of the Indigenous culture and their way of life. The Iroquois Confederacy is thought to have been created by the Great Peacemaker between 1450 and 1660. -
(More Info) Thomas Hobbes was an English philosopher who was born on April 5, 1588 in Malmesbury, United Kingdom, and died on December 4, 1679 in Derbyshire, United Kingdom. Throughout his life, Hobbes felt that an absolute monarchy was the only real and perfect form of government. Hobbes' theory was that all human beings are fundamentally and naturally selfish and evil. -
The theory of divine right of kings was a political ideology in European history that maintained that kings acquired their authority from God and hence could not be held responsible for their actions by any earthly authority such as a parliament. Since Canada was still a British colony at that time, they believed the royal family was chosen by God to rule them, so they must never have been wrong. The Scots textbooks on the divine right of kings were written in 1597–1598 by James VI of Scotland. -
(More Info) John Locke was an English philosopher and physician who was born on August 29, 1632, Wrington, United Kingdom and died on October 28, 1704, High Laver, United Kingdom. Locke's theory was that all human beings are naturally good and that all are equipped with strong resilience, genuine value of honesty, and a natural instinct to always help one another. -
The Americans' triumph against the British is said to be one of the most important causes of the French Revolution. The French people thought that a revolt against a major military power could be effective. The spirit of the revolution influenced the rebels behind the Upper and Lower Canadian rebellions. The significant rise of priests in Lower Canada enabled the church to strengthen its grip on Quebec's future. The American Revolution began in 1775, whereas the French Revolution began in 1789. -
(More Info) The Great Depression erased prosperity and inflicted an economic catastrophe that affected the whole world. It left millions of Canadians unemployed, hungry and homeless. Creating social welfare and the emergence of populist political movements within Canada, prompted the government to become more involved in the economy.