What is law and what is government? In our country, the government is a democracy, or government by the people. For a nation like ours and many others around the world to define its laws, it first looks to its common morality. This morality becomes the basis of all future laws, and society cannot exist without a common basis of morality. The Past To explore the impact of morality on past governments, let's look at the oldest known body of law. The Code of Hammurabi, written in 1772 BC, is the oldest known written law. Among the 282 laws are specific penalties for the crimes of theft, battery and adultery; there are also guidelines for marriage and family. For example, a son who disrespected his father had “his hair cut, a slave mark placed on him, and could be sold into slavery” (Johns). Sanctions to enforce similar laws change over time, but the core values ​​endure. For example, the Ten Commandments, dating from around 1500 BC, also dealt with similar issues of theft, murder, adultery, and family guidelines (Holy Bible). But where do these ideas of good and evil come from? Perhaps they came from the ideas of right-thinking leaders or from religious texts, but the fact that these and other morally based laws have survived through the ages to influence today's society is a testimony to their effectiveness, whatever their source. The modern rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" (United States 1776) were declared inalienable in the Declaration of Independence, and these same rights played a large role in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. rights. John Locke may have been the inspiration for these three rights when he expressed his idea that all people were free and equal...... middle of paper ....... Print.Fitzpatrick, Brian. The rise and fall of civilization. The Road to Emmaus, November 2010. Web. April 4, 2014. Johns, C. Babylonian Law - The Code of Hammurabi. Lillian Goldman Law Library, 2008. Web. April 2, 2014. Locke, John. Two government treaties. Project Gutenberg, January 6, 2014. Web. April 3, 2014. Samuel, Ana. Research on new family structures and the “no differences” assertion. Family Structure Studies, August 9, 2012. Web. April 3, 2014. Smith, Emily E. Washington, Gay Marriage and the Catholic Church. Dow Jones & Company, January 9, 2010. Web. April 3, 2014. The Holy Bible, King James Version. Cambridge Edition: 1769, 2014. web. April 2, 2014United States. National Archives and Archives Administration. The Bill of Rights. January 29, 1998. The web. April 3, 2014. Wall Builders. Importance of morality and religion in government. WallBuilders, LLC, January 2000. Web. April 3. 2014.