Curfew is the time of day that once brought with it evening and the end of work. The word comes from the French expression couvre-feu, which means cover the fire. At curfew, a bell was rung, telling people to put out their lights, cover their fires, and get off the streets until daybreak. William the Conqueror introduced the curfew in England during the 1000’s. In 1103 Henry I repealed the curfew law, but the bell continued to be rung. It is still rung in some parts of the United Kingdom.
In the United States, some communities have a curfew hour after which children may not be on the streets or in public places. The custom began long ago, but in Omaha, Nebraska, about 1880, a curfew law was passed. Children under 15 had to be indoors after 8 p.m. unless they were with an adult or had written permission from their parents or guardians to be away from home. Many U.S. cities passed similar laws. Beginning in the 1990’s, however, many curfew laws that affect teenagers were declared unconstitutional because they violate the rights of the teenagers or the rights of parents to raise their children as they see fit.
Many countries have used curfew laws to keep antigovernment protesters from being on the streets during the nighttime. The United States used curfew laws during World War II (1939-1945) to control the movement of adults from sunset to sunrise.
