Commentaries on the Laws of England: Book 2 The Rights of Things

While America's Founding Fathers looked to various sources for political philosophy, the one they turned to predominantly in the field of law was Sir William Blackstone, a barrister and patron of King George III who set out on writing a comprehensive tome of English Common Law. In addition to being a popular work, the massive 4 book Commentaries on the Laws of England brought together all of England's legal precedents, allowing others (like the Americans) to rely on it while forming their own judicial codes. Even today, the U.S. Supreme Court frequently cites Blackstone when interpreting the Constitution. Book 2, titled The Rights of Things, includes 30 chapters and an appendix that analyze property law, and the rights people had over both personal property and land. The chapter cover various topics, including bankruptcy, alienation, gifts, wills, and estate law. It also analyzes the rights people had during England's feudal times.