Cover of Commentaries on the Laws of England, Book the First

Commentaries on the Laws of England, Book the First

by William Blackstone

Reading level
Fairly demanding
Price
Free

About the book

"Commentaries on the Laws of England, Book the First" by Sir William Blackstone is a legal treatise published in 1765. This groundbreaking work made English common law accessible to ordinary readers for the first time since the Middle Ages. Book the First examines the rights of persons, exploring individuals' freedoms, Parliament's authority, the monarchy's powers, and the relationships between masters and servants, husbands and wives, parents and children. Blackstone's readable approach transformed legal education in Britain and America, shaping the development of the American legal system.

  • Law

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #30802. Commentaries on the Laws of England, Book the First on Wikipedia.