The Blue Laws
The Blue Laws
The Blue Laws were laws that were designed to enforce religious standards, especially those days that were designated as a day of worship or rest. The name was rumored to have come from the supposedly blue paper the laws were printed on, but since that was most likely false, historians have found that the name came the 17th century use of the word blue, which was a reference to the strict moral codes and those who observed them, as in blue-stocking. The blue laws were favored by some because they believed that Sunday should be a day dedicated to God, but others were against it, particularly religious people of other religions that did not use Sunday as a day of rest, such as Jews and Seventh-day Adventists. Non-religious people were also against these laws because without a belief in God, there was no reason to designate a day for Him. Most of the blue laws that existed at the time prohibited sale of merchandise, some or all of retail and business activity, recreational activities, and drinking. Some of these blue laws still can be seen around day, such as in some counties of Indiana, it is illegal to purchase alcohol at a store on a Sunday, and in Michigan, cars can only be sold on a Sunday in counties that have a population of less than 130,000. Some blue laws even date back to the Puritans of the 17th century, which prohibit grocery stores from being open on Thanksgiving and Christmas in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Even though people, particularly those that do not hold Sunday as the day of rest, are against these laws, the blue laws had and continue to have an affect on the world
The Blue Laws were laws that were designed to enforce religious standards, especially those days that were designated as a day of worship or rest. The name was rumored to have come from the supposedly blue paper the laws were printed on, but since that was most likely false, historians have found that the name came the 17th century use of the word blue, which was a reference to the strict moral codes and those who observed them, as in blue-stocking. The blue laws were favored by some because they believed that Sunday should be a day dedicated to God, but others were against it, particularly religious people of other religions that did not use Sunday as a day of rest, such as Jews and Seventh-day Adventists. Non-religious people were also against these laws because without a belief in God, there was no reason to designate a day for Him. Most of the blue laws that existed at the time prohibited sale of merchandise, some or all of retail and business activity, recreational activities, and drinking. Some of these blue laws still can be seen around day, such as in some counties of Indiana, it is illegal to purchase alcohol at a store on a Sunday, and in Michigan, cars can only be sold on a Sunday in counties that have a population of less than 130,000. Some blue laws even date back to the Puritans of the 17th century, which prohibit grocery stores from being open on Thanksgiving and Christmas in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Even though people, particularly those that do not hold Sunday as the day of rest, are against these laws, the blue laws had and continue to have an affect on the world