Mesopotamian Society, Contributions, and Innovations

Which quotation from Hammurabi’s Code best demonstrates the principle of “an eye for an eye”?

• “If the slave has fled from the hand of his captor, that man shall swear by the name of God, to the owner of the slave, and shall go free.”

• “If a poor man has struck another poor man, he shall pay ten shekels of silver.”

• “If he has shattered a gentleman’s arm, one shall shatter his arm.”

How did calendars contribute to growth in cities in ancient Mesopotamia?

• They helped leaders to predict when neighboring armies would attack, and defend the cities, allowing them to grow.

• They caused people who believed that the astronomers who created calendars could predict the future to move closer to the cities to hear the predictions.

• They helped farmers plan their crops to avoid floods, which allowed them to grow more food and to feed more people in the cities.

Which statement describes an effect of the development of cuneiform on Mesopotamian society?

• Children from all economic levels and genders were forced to learn to write by the region’s leaders.

• Conflicts over ownership of land and other items decreased because citizens had a record of purchase.

• Only the wealthy were taught to read and write cuneiform and benefited from its development.

How did metal plows help to increase Mesopotamian trade with other civilizations?

• Farmers who bought plows from traders found their new tools so helpful that they later bought many other goods from traders.

• Farmers could plant faster, helping them plant larger areas and grow extra grain for traders to sell.

• Many farmers who had learned metalworking to make plows also made other metal goods for traders to sell.

What can be assumed from the fact that the ziggurat in the Mesopotamian city-state of Nineveh was built in honor of the god Enlil?

• Nineveh was the most powerful city-state in ancient Mesopotamia.

• Enlil was believed to be a god dedicated to protecting the people of Nineveh.

• Nineveh was ruled by a king who was believed to be the human form of Enlil.

Which statement best describes slavery in ancient Mesopotamia?

• In ancient Mesopotamia, a person could only become a slave if captured during a war.

• In ancient Mesopotamia, an individual could become a slave in one of several different ways.

• In ancient Mesopotamia, all slaves belonged to one specific ethnic group.

“If a man has struck another man who is great above him, he shall be struck in the assembly with sixty strokes of a cow-hide whip.

If a man of gentle birth has struck another man of gentle birth who is like himself, he shall pay one mina of silver.

If a poor man has struck another poor man, he shall pay ten shekels of silver.

If a gentleman’s servant has struck a free-man, one shall cut off his ear.” --from the Code of Hammurabi

How is the class structure of Mesopotamian society reflected in these laws?

• The laws state that slavery is legal so slaveholders cannot be punished.

• Fines are used as a form of punishment against the merchant class.

• The punishment for crimes is dependent on a person’s social status.

A Mesopotamian government official is jealous of the power and attention bestowed upon the king, and the official wants to damage the status and influence of the king.

Based on Mesopotamian religious beliefs, which action would have been most effective in damaging the influence of the king?

• sabotaging construction of the king’s burial tomb

• calling into question the gods’ approval of the king’s decisions

• encouraging temple priests to distribute the gods’ grain to poor people

Who was the ancient Babylonian king who created the earliest known code of laws?

• Nebuchadnezzar

• Eannatum

• Hammurabi

• Sargon

Which statement describes the main difference between Hammurabi’s Code and previous legal systems?

• Hammurabi’s Code increased the power of judges and rulers to decide punishments.

• Hammurabi’s Code established a set of standard punishments for crimes.

• Hammurabi’s Code treated people of all social classes as equals.