The United States has a complex and extensive network of laws. In addition to the federal code common to all, each state, and sometimes city, has its own separate norms and prohibitions. Some of the local laws look strange enough. They are known as āstupid lawsā of the United States, or dumb laws, and seem completely inapplicable in an adequate society.
Where do unusual laws come from?
If you delve into the codes of various countries of the world, then, probably, you can find many funny or strange, at first glance, norms. For example, in Thailand you canāt step on coins and banknotes of the national currency, and in Japan women are required to wear bras in rooms where air conditioners work. However, most of these rules appeared for good reason and have a logical explanation.
In the USA, stupid laws arise mainly due to the judicial system adopted here and case law. According to him, a court decision in one case can likewise apply to all such cases. Hence, there are bans on walking elephants along the main street or dogs barking, which lasts longer than 10 minutes.
Some laws are historical. They were adopted dozens of years ago and were then relevant. Today they are funny and not enforced, although they have not been removed from the country's code. In Michigan, for example, there is still a provision banning blasphemy, but the last time it was used was in the 19th century and has long been considered unconstitutional.
A number of stupid US laws that can be found on the Internet are not so stupid in fact. Most often they are unsaid, incorrectly translated or stated, which is why they seem absurd and outrageous. Having understood them in detail, you can easily see the meaning in them.
New Jersey
The "State of Gardens," as it is called in America, is located in the north-east of the country. It is located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay. In the past, New Jersey has been a major center for US independence. In the XVIII century, the state was among the 13 colonies of Great Britain that rebelled against the metropolis, and also became the first territory that the American Bill of Rights adopted. He survived many revolutionary battles and battles, and in the city of Morristown was the headquarters of one of the founders of the state George Washington.
One of the funny laws of this state is forbidden to detain a carrier pigeon that does not belong to you. Today, few people communicate using these birds - it is much more convenient to use the phone or the Internet. But earlier, holding the āmessengerā with the message could lead to very unpleasant consequences. This law also has logic today, because the carrier pigeon is someoneās pet and keeping it at least unethical.
Ohio
Ohio in the United States is located on the shores of Lake Erie, which the country shares with Canada. Its plain territories were once surrounded by game and were considered the best places for hunting. Initially, these lands were part of a large French colony and retreated to Britain only after a series of wars between these states.
As part of the Western Territories of the United States, Ohio in 1787, and already the following year the first American city was founded here - Marietta. The constitution and clear state borders were adopted in 1803. Currently, there are a lot of ridiculous laws in it. For example, in Ohio, police are allowed to bite a dog to silence it, and women cannot breastfeed children in public.
Separate norms are taken care of the health and preservation of the local fauna. For example, Ohio law prohibits soldering dopian fish, and in Cincinnati, to kill any animal, including mice, a hunting license is required.
Another law controls the dress code of local women - it forbids them to wear patent leather shoes. But actually it has some logic. It is assumed that ladies' underwear can be reflected in shiny polished shoes, and the law is designed to prevent all undesirable moments that may arise in such a situation.
New York
New York is perhaps one of the most famous states in the country. The city of the same name in its composition is the largest settlement in the United States, it is home to almost nine million people. The state is located in the northeast of the state right on the border with Canada. During the War of Independence, its territory was an important strategic point. It was in it in 1777 that the first constitutional document of the newly emerging United States was adopted.
Today, the state together with the famous city is the main economic, tourist and cultural center of the country, which is visited by hundreds of millions of visitors from all over the world. Knowing this, it is hard to believe that any absurd laws may exist here, but they can easily be found in the local code.
In the state, it is forbidden to throw the ball into the head of other people, and women can go topless only if they are not going to earn it. From their balconies, verandas and windows, residents of the city of New York can not recite poems to the street, show theatrical performances and arrange any kind of performance.
Old laws in the stateās main city forbade people to wear ice cream in their back pockets on Sundays. This sounds pretty funny if you donāt know that in the past years, sweets often stole horses using sweets. Ice cream peeking out of his pocket attracted animals, and they happily followed the person who had seen him.
Minnesota
Together with Ohio, Minnesota belongs to the northwestern territories of America. It became part of the country in 1803 thanks to Louisiana purchase, and before that it belonged to the French. Minnesota borders Canada, and is framed in the east by a series of Great Lakes ponds. This is the most northern US state after Alaska. Most of it is covered with forests and prairies, full-flowing rivers and lakes.
The climate of the state is quite severe: here is the coldest place in the continental part of the country, which is why it was even called the "refrigerator of the nation." Perhaps that is why it is forbidden to sleep naked in Minnesota. Although it is not known exactly where such a law comes from and how the police can enforce it.
Another unusual prohibition concerns the safety and tranquility of local residents. So, in the state you canāt wander aimlessly next to other people's houses, private territory and vehicles. In addition, in Minnesota, aircraft are prohibited from landing in city parks, and trucks cannot park on sidewalks.
California
California is the southwestern state of America, stretching along the Pacific coast. It is known for its sandy beaches, hot climate and desert landscapes, as well as Silicon Valley, in which the most promising minds of mankind work.
Unlike the closed and Puritan east, California is considered the land of emancipation and freedom. How else? The state is the center of world show business - it is in it that Hollywood is located. Local law enforcers have observed a lot of outstanding things here, so some laws are simply necessary to pacify the population.
In the California city of Eureka, for example, it is forbidden to sleep on the road, and in El Monte, it is forbidden to use children's sandboxes as an ashtray. It is illegal to plant trees in common areas, to equip flowerbeds and gardens on their own, and itās better not to play bowling on the sidewalks. In the 80s there was a law in Carmel that you should not eat ice cream while standing on the sidewalk. This measure was aimed at keeping the streets clean, but it was canceled when actor Clint Eastwood became the mayor of the city.
Another seemingly stupid US law prohibits kissing and licking frogs. However, it is fully justified in terms of common sense. The fact is that in California there is a poisonous Colorado toad. Her secrets contain substances that cause a psychedelic state and hallucinations, which is why amphibians are very fond of drug addicts.
Louisiana
The lands of Louisiana have long been a stumbling block between the Spaniards, the French and the British. They moved to the USA together with some other states in 1803, when Napoleon decided to sell his colonies on the continent to the Americans. The region got a name from the French (the state is named after King Louis), as well as civil law, which differs from Anglo-Saxon and uses little case law. Nevertheless, there are some strange laws here.
With all severity, the state treats lovers of religious cults whose ceremonies include the use of blood, urine, excrement or sentient beings. By the way, the law does not look so stupid if you read it further. After all, he also forbids crippling, killing and displaying any violence against people and animals for rituals.
In addition, in the state of Louisiana, you cannot tie an alligator to a fire hydrant. However, this should not be done with other animals, but there is still a special relation to alligators. In the state it is forbidden to steal or appropriate them, remove the skin from them and cut them into pieces.
Mississippi
Mississippi is a āstate of magnoliasā located in the southern United States, on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. It became part of America only in 1813, and in 1861, together with some other territories, announced its withdrawal from it in order to form a separate state. As in other southern states, the local economy in Mississippi developed through the slave trade, so the white population actively supported the division of people into races and fought against the democratic north during the Civil War.
Previously, there were many bans in state law, mainly related to the activities and freedoms of the black population. In 1995, the Mississippi became the last territory in the history of the country to sign the amendment to abolish slavery.
Today, the state is more observing public morality. His legislation prohibits seducing a woman with promises to marry her, to live in pairs under one roof outside of marriage, and to have more than one child outside of marriage - all this is regarded as dissolute behavior and is punishable by fines. Also in Mississippi, you canāt honk someone else's horn and do vagrancy.
Arkansas
The state of Arkansas is located in the region of the same river in the south of the country. His story is similar to that of Louisiana, Mississippi and is also closely related to the slave trade. He joined the United States twice. The first time the Americans bought the French colonies in 1803, the second - in 1836, when the independent Arkansas Territory, created in 1819, assured its existence.
State law prohibits car drivers from honking after nine in the evening, as well as in the evening near places where snacks and soft drinks are sold. It is believed that a sharp sound creates concern and interferes with the quiet relaxation of residents. Also in Arkansas, owners of flamingos are forbidden to bring their pets to hairdressers. In this form, the law is most often found on various sites. However, on English resources you can find its complement. In fact, the law was created to maintain order and forbids not only with flamingos, but also with other pets to appear in public places where people eat, cut their hair or receive medical care.
All visitors to the state are usually wary of its name. There is a common myth that if you pronounce his name incorrectly, you can get a heavy fine or even go to jail. The law does state that it is more correct to call the state āArkansoā rather than āArkansas,ā but the police are unlikely to consider this an offense. Itās just that it will immediately become clear to everyone that you are not from these places.
Arizona
Arizona is one of the "states of the four corners" since its borders are rectangular in shape. It is located in the south-west of the country near California, and in the south it borders with Mexico. The first Europeans to visit the state were the French, but for a long time they did not stay long and the Spaniards became its main colonizers.
For several centuries, the lands of Arizona were part of New Spain, but they were empty for a long time and were not settled by conquistadors. The lack of fertile land, deposits of precious metals and stones made them unattractive to the conquerors, so the indigenous Indian tribes felt relatively calm. The American state only became in 1848, becoming the 48th in a row.
Among the stupid laws of Arizona, there is usually a ban on keeping a donkey in the bathroom, playing cards with Native Americans, or imitating cocaine production. But most of them are most likely fiction. Among these strange laws was a ban on collecting rainwater. Today it was canceled, but used to have legal force, since it was believed that falling from the sky, water becomes someone else's property and it is not worth encroaching on it.
The state also has a law under which you can be planted for 25 years for cutting a cactus. He often appears on the list of stupid US laws, but in reality he only protects saguaro cacti, which in nature can only be found in the Arizona desert of Sonora.
Another law prohibits the killing of camels. Wildlife connoisseurs could object to him, because in Arizona these animals are not found. But in the middle of the XIX century, the military brought them here to use as a vehicle. With the outbreak of the Civil War, this became irrelevant, camels became unnecessary and many of them scattered around the local deserts. To prevent their destruction, an appropriate law was passed. Nowadays, it really looks strange - the last camel in the southern states was seen in the 40s of the last century.
Hawaii
Hawaii is the most remote locally on the planet, as well as the only state of America that is located outside the continent. They joined the United States only in 1959, taking the honorable 50th place. The state is completely located on the islands in the Pacific Ocean. It is known for its originality, dissimilarity to the rest of America, as well as its incredibly beautiful and dangerous nature.
Hawaiian islands are of volcanic origin, so eruptions occur from time to time here. One of them took place in 2018. But this state of affairs does not scare the guests of the state too much, and thousands of tourists are still arriving here. In order not to disturb travelers from enjoying the beauty of the region, Hawaii has a law prohibiting hanging flashy advertisements along roads and in public places.
But the ban on banners looks quite logical compared to the law, which does not allow you to stuff coins into your ears. There is no clear explanation for this rule. It is assumed that it appeared at the beginning of the XX century, when the encroachment of the Americans on the islands could lead to the disappearance of the local currency. Then the locals began to hide them in the ears. Today, this behavior is an identification mark for drug dealers.