| THIS DAY AT LAW |  |
| Today in legal history... |
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 Tuesday, February 09, 2010 |
First US federal anti-narcotics legislation passed 
On February 9, 1909, Congress passed the first federal legislation prohibiting narcotics. The "Act to Prohibit Importation and Use Of Opium" barred the importation of opium at other than specified ports and for other than medicinal use. Read a contemporary call for quick passage of the legislation just days before it passed the House.
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Jamaica achieves full independence
On February 9, 1962, Jamaica left the Federation of the West Indies, becoming a fully-independent nation for the first time in its history. The country did, however, remain a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations.  Read the Constitution of Jamaica from the Georgetown University archives.
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Monday, February 08, 2010 |
Mary, Queen of Scots executed
On February 8, 1587, Mary I of Scotland was executed for involvement in a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I of England. Before execution, Mary denied three times assisting the Babington Plot to murder her cousin, Queen Elizabeth, and crown Mary as ruler of Great Britain. Mary's guilt or innocence is debated to this day.  Read about Mary, Queen of Scots and the Babington Plot from the University of Pennsylvania.
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First US execution by gas
On February 8, 1924, Gee Jon, a Chinese man convicted of murder, was executed by gas in Nevada and became the first person in the United States to be put to death in that manner.  The Nevada state legislature had eliminated hanging and shooting as a method of execution in 1921, and had provided for execution by lethal gas instead. Nevada sent 32 convicts to the gas chamber between 1924 and 1979. Learn more about the history of executions by gas in Nevada.
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Sunday, February 07, 2010 |
Maastricht Treaty signed, creating EU
On February 7, 1992, the Maastricht Treaty was signed by the members of the European Community, creating the European Union. Officially called the Treaty on the European Union, the original Maastricht Treaty went into force on November 1, 1993. The current Maastricht Treaty includes amendments from later EU treaties. 
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11th Amendent to US Constitution ratified
On February 7, 1795, the 11th Amendment to the United States Constitution took effect with ratification by North Carolina. Adopted in the aftermath of the US Supreme Court's ruling in Chisholm v. Georgia, the Amendment limited the jurisdiction of the federal courts to automatically hear cases brought against a state by the citizens of another state.  Learn more about the meaning and history of the 11th Amendment from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
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Saturday, February 06, 2010 |
20th Amendment to the US Constitution ratified
On February 6, 1933, the 20th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified by the requisite majority of states, moving the start of presidential, vice-presidential and congressional terms from March to January in an effort to shorten the problematic "lame duck" period.  Learn more about the 20th Amendment.
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