Hammurabi's Code

King Hammurabi

He was the King Babylon 1795-1750 BCE.

He created the Code of Hammurabi which included 282 Laws.

The code encouraged the people to accept his authority. Also wanted to assign common rules to govern all his Subjects.

There was no distinction between intentional and accidental crime.

Main Features of the Legal system

Hierarchy of Babylonian Society.

● Gods
● King
● Male Nobles
● Wives and Children of Male Nobles
● Poor and Slaves

Main Features of the Legal System

​The Wealthy were given more protection than the poor.

The penalties of the code varied based on the status of the victim.

The Laws reflected a male dominated society.

Laws were  based on retribution and restitution (mainly focused on retribution).

It unified the empire by offering a set of standard of moral values, class structure, and gender relationships.

Examples

If anyone is committing a robbery and is caught then shall be put to death.

If a son strikes his father his hand shall be hewn off.

If a man knocks the teeth of an equal, his teeth shall  be knocked out.

If a man strike a free-born woman so that she lose her unborn child, he shall pay 10 shekels for her loss.

If a slave says to his master: “ You’re not my master” if the convict him his master shall cut off his ear.

Importance of the Code of Hammurabi

● Hammurabi’s code was one of the first written code of laws in recorded history.

● It organized the most civilized empire at the time.

● It represents the great progress of human
civilization

● Influenced future civilization in creating laws.

Multiple Choice

The most important contribution of the Phoenicians to Western Civilization was the 

• development of monotheism.
• development of irrigated agriculture.
  
• alphabet.
• art of building great stone monuments.

Multiple Choice

The Babylonian Code of Hammurabi can best be described as a...

• religious ceremony

• set of strict laws

• multi-layered class system

• document limited the powers of Hammurabi

Multiple Choice

Who was Hammurabi? 

• Hammurabi was a God in Ancient Sumer
• Hammurabi was the King of Babylon
• Hammurabi was a warrior
• Hammurabi was a farmer in Mesopotamia

Multiple Choice

Hammurabi's Code was composed of how many laws?

• 282
• 192
• 292
• 495

Multiple Choice

Who did Hammurabi claim encouraged him to create the laws?

• The people of Babylon
• The Gods
• The Akkadians
• The summerians 

Multiple Choice

If a man has knocked out the teeth of a man of the same rank, his own teeth shall be knocked out.  If he has knocked out the teeth of a plebeian (commoner), he shall pay one-third of a mina of silver."
--Code of Hammurabi
Which statement is best supported by this excerpt from Hammurabi's code of laws?

• Law sometimes distinguishes between social classes.
• All men are equal under the law.
• Violence must always be punished with violence.
• Fines are preferable to physical punishment.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is  NOT true of Hammurabi's code?

• It covered many aspects of Babylonian life, not just crimes.
• it was used by many later civilizations as a model
• It treated all people the same under the law.
• It was carved in stone.

Multiple Choice

Why is Hammurabi's Code a primary source?

• It is a legal document

• It is the only written record of Hammurabi

• It contains important information about the past

• It was created when Hammurabi ruled

Multiple Choice

Which of these statements best describes "eye for an eye"justice?

• Crimes against someone's eyes are punished by death.

• Someone convicted of a crime would be subjected to the same harm they committed.

• Anyone who is the victim of a crime gets to keep the eyes of the criminal.

• Criminals have their left eye removed as a warning to others.

Multiple Choice

If a person accused another of a crime and could not prove it, their punishment was ___________.

• Detention

• Death

• Prison

• 3 years of slavery

Multiple Choice

Concerning Hammurabi's Code- Punishments for breaking the laws were not enforced ___________. Those with a higher standing in society had more protection and options to pay fines instead.

• unequally

• equally

• unjustifiably

• encroached

Multiple Choice

According to Hammurabi's Code, what was the punishment for a merchant who sold inferior or fraudulent goods?

• The merchant would be fined.

• The merchant would have his goods confiscated.

• The merchant would be thrown into a pit of snakes.

Multiple Choice

According to Hammurabi's Code, what was the punishment for theft?

• Cutting off the thief's hand

• Banishment from the city

• A fine payable to the victim

Multiple Choice

In Hammurabi's Code, what was the penalty for a builder whose poorly constructed house collapsed and resulted in the death of the owner?

• The builder's house would be demolished.

• The builder would pay a fine to the owner's family.

• The builder would be put to death.

Multiple Choice

What punishment did Hammurabi's Code prescribe for a woman who slandered another woman's reputation with false accusations of adultery?

• The slanderer would be flogged in public.

• The slanderer's tongue would be cut off.

• he slanderer would be required to apologize to the victim.

Multiple Choice

According to Hammurabi's Code, if a son struck his father, what would be the consequence?

• The son would be imprisoned for a year.

• The son would be fined, and his hand would be cut off.

• The son's fingers would be broken.

Multiple Choice

What was the punishment for a man who committed adultery with another man's wife, as per Hammurabi's Code?

• The man would be fined.

• The man would be put to death.

• The man would be banished from the city.

Multiple Choice

According to Hammurabi's Code, if a surgeon's operation resulted in the death of a patient, what would be the surgeon's punishment?

• The surgeon's hands would be cut off.

• The surgeon would be fined.

• The surgeon would be required to provide free medical care to the victim's family.

Multiple Choice

What punishment did Hammurabi's Code prescribe for a son who disrespected his parents and failed to obey their commands?

• The son would be placed in stocks for a week.

• The son would be banished from the city.

• The son would be sold into slavery.

Multiple Choice

According to Hammurabi's Code, what was the punishment for a merchant who sold inferior or fraudulent goods?

• The merchant would be fined.

• The merchant would have his goods confiscated.

• The merchant would be thrown into a pit of snakes.

Multiple Choice

In Hammurabi's Code, what punishment awaited a woman who neglected her household duties and wandered outside the home without proper reason?

• She would be fined.

• She would be stoned to death.

• She would be required to apologize to her husband.

Multiple Choice

According to Hammurabi's Code, what would happen to a judge who accepted a bribe and rendered an unjust verdict?

• The judge would be fined.

• The judge would be publicly shamed.

• The judge would be removed from the bench and pay 12-fold the fine of the bribe.