Show inheritance laws born in private ownership among our primitive ancestors ance there were no such things as a will ft or even inheritance by a limited number of heirs because there was nothing to inherit or to will all property was waa community property propel ty when a man ma aled he simply ceased to use the common property pool and without any formalities the surviving members of the group continued to male make use of it when private ownership of things and land came to be recognized the governing unit village tribe or state found that it had to take some action when a man died leaving property lf if nothing were done anyone who happened to be near or strong might sele seize the ownerless property even though lie were a total stranger to or even an enemy of 0 its former owner tribal concepts of fair play came into op operation gration and it was recognized that the dead mans family should have first claim to his former belongings from this developed the tha customs and laws of inheritance which have taken varied and in some cases very complex forms in different parts parta of the world national geographic society bulletin |