What are they?
2007-09-03 16:17:18 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
blue law, in the United States and Canada, is a type of law designed to enforce moral standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest. Most have been repealed or are simply unenforced, although prohibitions on the sale of alcoholic beverages, and occasionally almost all commerce, on Sundays are still enforced in many areas.[1] Blue laws often prohibit an activity only during certain hours and there are usually exceptions to the prohibition of commerce, like grocery and drug stores. In some places blue laws may be enforced due to religious principles, but others are retained as a matter of tradition or out of convenience.
In the Cook Islands, blue laws were first written legislation, enacted by the London Missionary Society in 1827, with the consent of ariki (chiefs). In Tonga, the Vava'u Code (1839) was inspired by Methodist missionary teachings, and was a form of blue law. In Niue, certain activities remain forbidden on Sunday, reflecting the country's strong Christian heritage.
2007-09-03 16:25:24 · answer #1 · answered by bob 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Blue laws are laws made to enforce religious restictions on behavior such as working on the sabbath, selling alcohol, drinking, adultery, and others. They were very common in most of America up through the 1960's. The civil rights era also brought greater religious freedom and less tolerance for crossing the line between church and state. My dad says when he was a kid it was illegal to go fishing on Sundays. Some areas still have a few blue laws on the books, though most of them have forgotten why they were put there in the first place. For instance, anywhere in the South you will have a hard time buying liquor on Sunday.
2007-09-03 16:35:49 · answer #2 · answered by James L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It isn't a phrase you often hear these days, but blue laws refered to things like alcohol consumption, prostitution, and that sort of thing. They were mostly prohibitive. In some areas they refered to activities on Sunday, such as horse racing (a no-no) or gambling (anything except for bingo) or anything that would count as desecrating the Sabbath.
2007-09-03 16:23:36 · answer #3 · answered by old lady 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
a type of law designed to enforce moral standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest
2007-09-03 16:33:17 · answer #4 · answered by ilovecokeacole 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
laws in the past regarding working on Sunday. working on Sunday was forbidden
2007-09-03 16:28:54 · answer #5 · answered by JAMES M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋