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The following provides a good overview of so-called "blue laws |
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American "blue laws" were so named because they were originally printed on blue paper.
Status: False.
Example: [The Columbia Encyclopedia, 2000]
The term was originally applied to the 17th-century laws of the theocratic New Haven colony; they were called "blue laws" after the blue paper on which they were printed.
Va. Error Reinstates Blue Law Workers Can Insist On Sundays Off. By Michael D. Shear, Washington Post Staff Writer. Friday, July 2, 2004; Page A01
Excerpt:
A blue law, in the United States and Canada, is a law restricting activities or sales of goods on Sunday, which had its roots in accommodating Christian Sunday worship, although it persists to this day more as a matter of tradition.
The term blue law was first used by Reverend Samuel Peters in his book General History of Connecticut, which was first published in 1781, to refer to various laws first enacted by Puritan colonies in the 17th century which prohibited the selling of certain types of merchandise and retail or business activity of any kind on certain days of the week (usually Sunday). . . .
Excerpt:
legislation regulating public and private conduct, especially laws relating to Sabbath observance.
In battle for Sunday, the 'blue laws' are falling
By Sara B. Miller | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
These laws, enacted by the people of the "Dominion of New Haven," became known as the blue laws because they were printed on blue paper.
From The Reader's Companion to American History: Blue Laws
Blue Law Makes Webmasters See Red
By Randy Dotinga, 02:00 AM Jun. 16, 2005 PT
Vintage Base Ball Fever, Catch It! (bare-handed)
What's a blue law, you ask? Blue laws are state or local regulations that prohibit or restrict certain behaviors for religious purposes. Winona Lake was famous for some of its blue laws:
by Erica Pearson, May 26, 2003
When the Harlem store Palace Liquors opened one particular day this week, it was a moment that some New Yorkers had wanted for more than three centuries. That is because the day it opened was Sunday. New York liquor stores have never before been allowed to open on Sunday.
Old Blue Laws Are Hitting Red Lights: Statutes Rolled Back As Anachronisms
By Jonathan Finer, Washington Post Staff Writer; Saturday, December 4, 2004; Page A03
Blue Laws
The True-blue laws of Connecticut and New Haven: and the false blue-laws invented by the Rev. Samuel Peters
Colonial Massachusetts
Blue Laws: Personal Conduct Regulation
blue law: Definition and Much More From Answers.com
blue law: n. A law designed to regulate commercial business on Sunday.
A New Effort to Defend, Legislate the Sabbath ?
Religious groups are increasingly demanding special action from government and civic groups to "protect" their weekly religious holiday, Sunday. Pope John Paul will issue a special letter this week urging his flock of sheep to join in this effort.
By SexHerald Staff
By Dave Roland
Contributing writer
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Blue Law's gone -- let's drink to that: Liquor sales among scores of regulations that will take effect
By David Ammons
The Associated Press
Triva
Washington transacted business on Sundays, visited friends and relatives, traveled [in fact, he was once detained --by the "Sabbath police" for traveling on Sunday when he was President] and sometimes went fox-hunting instead of going to church.
Source of Information:
George Washington & Religion, by Paul F. Boller JR. Southern Methodist University Press. (1963) pp 29.
Some books I highly recommend
First Edition
American State Papers Bearing on Sunday Legislation. First Edition Compiled by William Addison Blakely, of the Chicago Bar. (1890)
Second Edition
American State Papers Bearing On Sunday Legislation, Revised and Enlarged Edition, compiled and annotated by William Addison Blakely, Revised Edition, edited by Willard Allen Colcord, The Religious Liberty Association, Washington D.C. 1911,
Third Edition
American State Papers on Freedom in Religion, 3rd Revised Edition. Published in 1943 for The Religious Liberty Association, Washington, D.C. by the Review and Herald.