This is Volume 1 of a two volume set written for Property Law. From the Preface: Property/ as a vaguely defined collection of contract/ tort/ and criminal cases/ does not take on the natural structure of a substantive area of the law through the systematic study of duty/ breach/ causation/ defenses/ and damages. Instead this textbook and most Property courses survey various topics in law with two goals in mind. First/ we will study a number of traditional property topics/ those where the issue of "ownership" and what that entails have long been thought to be a central issue. Second/ but most importantly/ our interdisciplinary study will introduce some of the major analytical techniques in law/ from reasoning using precedent to law and economics to distributive justice. As we roam among topics/ our goal is always/ relentlessly to ask/ "Why?" "Why should the law protect this party's interest?" These major techniques that we will pick up along the way will help us provide better and better answers to this question.