Mr. PentzakLevel One Individuals & Societies Name:
Date:
Block:
The Code of Hammurabi
The Code of Hammurabi was written during the rule of Hammurabi (c. 1792-1750 B.C.E.) and consists of over 200 rules that govern nearly every aspect of Babylonian life; from building codes, public safety, bride prices, divorce, inheritance, morality, and slavery. These law codes were written in cuneiform on huge steles, large pillars erected in the center of town for all city inhabitants to see. Depending on one’s social status (elite, public official, freeman, or slave) the code applied different consequences for breaking the law.
Directions:Using the translations below and the spaces provided, determine the crime or offense and the punishment or consequence. Then, decide if there is a modern equivalent of that law and what today’s consequence would be. Some “crimes” may not be applicable in modern times.Highlight unfamiliar words and look them up in your dictionary or online, use the space at the end of the document to list definitions.
Example:
8. If anyone steal cattle or sheep, or a pig or a goat, if it belong to a god or to the court, the thief shall pay thirtyfold therefor; if they belonged to a freed man of the king he shall pay tenfold; if the thief has nothing with which to pay he shall be put to death
Crime:Stealing livestock from the king/temple Punishment:Pay 30x the value from king/temple, 10x from avg guy. No $=deathModern Offense: Stealing from a church or gov’t agency Modern Consequence: Pay fees or jail
6. If anyone steal the property of a temple or of the court, he shall be put to death, and also the one who receives the stolen thing from him shall be put to death.
Crime: ______Punishment: ______
Modern Offense: ______Modern Consequence: ______
25. If fire break out in a house, and someone who comes to put it out cast his eye upon the property of the owner of the house, and take the property of the master of the house, he shall be thrown into that self-same fire.
Crime: ______Punishment: ______
Modern Offense: ______Modern Consequence: ______
48. If anyone owe a debt for a loan, and a storm prostrates the grain, or the harvest fail, or the grain does not grow for lack of water; in that year he need not give his creditor any grain, he washes his debt-tablet in water and pays no rent for this year.
Problem: ______Solution: ______
Modern Problem: ______Modern Solution: ______
110. If a "sister of a god" open a tavern, or enter a tavern to drink, then shall this woman be burned to death.
Crime: ______Punishment: ______
Modern Offense: ______Modern Consequence: ______
127. If anyone "point the finger" (slander) at a sister of a god or the wife of any one, and cannot prove it, this man shall be taken before the judges and his brow shall be marked. (by cutting the skin, or perhaps hair.)
Crime: ______Punishment: ______
Modern Offense: ______Modern Consequence: ______
129. If a man's wife be surprised (in blazing offence’) with another man, both shall be tied and thrown into the water, but the husband may pardon his wife and the king his slaves.
Crime: ______Punishment: ______
Modern Offense: ______Modern Consequence: ______
142. If a woman quarrel with her husband, and say: "You are not congenial to me," the reasons for her prejudice must be presented. If she is guiltless, and there is no fault on her part, but he leaves and neglects her, then no guilt attaches to this woman, she shall take her dowry and go back to her father's house.
Crime: ______Punishment: ______
Modern Offense: ______Modern Consequence: ______
143. If she is not innocent, but leaves her husband, and ruins her house, neglecting her husband, this woman shall be cast into the water
Crime: ______Punishment: ______
Modern Offense: ______Modern Consequence: ______
195. If a son strike his father, his hands shall be hewn off.
Crime: ______Punishment: ______
Modern Offense: ______Modern Consequence: ______
196. If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out. [An eye for an eye]
Crime: ______Punishment: ______
Modern Offense: ______Modern Consequence: ______
200. If a man knock out the teeth of his equal, his teeth shall be knocked out. [A tooth for a tooth]
Crime: ______Punishment: ______
Modern Offense: ______Modern Consequence: ______
218. If a physician make a large incision with the operating knife, and kill him, or open a tumor with the operating knife, and cut out the eye, his hands shall be cut off.
Crime: ______Punishment: ______
Modern Offense: ______Modern Consequence: ______
229 If a builder build a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built fall in and kill its owner, then that builder shall be put to death.
Crime: ______Punishment: ______
Modern Offense: ______Modern Consequence: ______
282. If a slave say to his master: "You are not my master," his master shall cut off his ear.
Crime: ______Punishment: ______
Modern Offense: ______Modern Consequence: ______
Unfamiliar words & their meanings:
Translation of laws taken from: