Code of Hammurabi

What is Hammurabi's Code?

• story of Babylonian empire's creation by the gods
• written language of Babylonian Empire
•  collection of written laws from the Babylonian Empire
• book describing warfare from the Babylonian Empire

Which modern idiom refers to Hammurabi's Code?

• An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth
• It's raining cats and dogs.
• Break a leg!
• The wisdom of an old man brings wealth.

Hammurabi's code is a famous system of laws because it ...

• is thought to be one of the earliest written set of laws
• led directly to the development of democracy
• had such lenient punishments
• was considered unfair, causing people to rebel in the world's first insurrection

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 nocked 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.

What was harshly punished under the Code of Hammurabi?

• Murder

• Refusing to worship the gods

• Enslaving people

• Doing your work badly

Based on the Code of Hammurabi, what was the Babylonian attitude toward slavery?

• Only males were taken as slaves.

• It was rarely practiced.

• Only females were taken as slaves.

• Slavery was commonplace in Babylon.

Which idea from Hammurabi’s Code describes the concept of “innocent until proven guilty”?

• A man who accepts money to lie about another must be punished.

• A man who takes property must pay a certain price for it.

• A man who says another had done wrong must be able to show that what he says is true.

• A man who farms on another’s land must share his crops.

Punishments under Hammurabi’s Code would most likely be mildest if the victim was a

• farmer

• slave

• noble

• merchant

What were the ancient people like in Mesopotamia?

• They were a lot like us. Everyone was treated equally.
• They believed that the gods gave their kings authority.
• They were very unkind and unjust.
• They believed in one god.

Under Hammurabi’s Code, what would most likely happen if a merchant accused a farmer of killing someone but could not prove it?

• The case would remain open until proof could be found.

• The merchant would be punished.

• The case would be dismissed with no results.

• The farmer would be punished.