AP World History
POD #2
Cradle of Civilization
Code of Hammurabi
Class Discussion Questions
McKay - “The Spread of Mesopotamian Culture”
pp. 13-15
1. What is the symbolic importance of
irrigation in Mesopotamia?
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Large scale irrigation highlighted the
need for a strong central authority to
oversee and enforce the process
Individuals took part in the community as
a whole while giving up individual
concerns for the greater good of society
This a form of a social contract
2. What is the significance of the writing
systems?
• Writing allowed knowledge to be
preserved and passed on to the next
generations
• Writing facilitated advancements in such
fields as general learning, science, and
literature
3. Describe the social hierarchy of
Mesopotamia?
• Nobles- included the king and royal family, chief priests,
and high palace officials who rose to power through
battlefield success
• Clients- included free men and women who were
dependent on the nobility and exchanged labor for small
plots of land from the nobility- this was an early form of
feudalism
• Commoners- included free citizens independent ofthe
nobility who belonged to large patriarchal families who
owned their own land
• Slaves- included foreigners, prisoners of war, criminals,
and debtors- slaves were property of their owners but
could negotiate their freedom
4. What were King Hammurabi's goals for
Mesopotamia?
• Secure Babylon with victories over
Assyria, Sumer, and Akkad
• Unify Mesopotamia under one leader
• Win a place for Babylon in Mesopotamian
culture- through conquest and the
commerce of Babylonian merchants the
culture, ideas, and practice of
Mesopotamia began to spread to Anatolia,
Syria, and Palestine
5. What were the basic principles of
Hammurabi's Code?
• Laws were proclaimed on divine authority- "to
establish law and justice in the language of the
land, thereby promoting the welfare of the
people"
• Code demands the punishment fit the crime- "an
eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"
• "Eye for an eye" applied among equals whereas
fines could be imposed in class difference
• Laws differed according to the social status of
the offender- Aristocrats were not punished as
harshly as commoners, nor the commoners as
harshly as slaves
6. How did Hammurabi's Code deal with
legal procedures?
• Individuals brought their own complaints
• Written documents or witnesses were
needed to support a cause
• Punishment was harsh for false
accusations
7. How did Hammurabi's Code deal with
witchcraft?
Anyone accused of witchcraft
underwent an ordeal by water
Accused were thrown in the Euphratesif they sank: they were guilty, if they
floated they were innocent
It was believed that the ordeal would
allow the gods render legal decision
8. How did Hammurabi's Code deal with
consumer protection?
• Merchants and businessmen had to
guarantee the quality of their goods and
services through repair at their own
expense or even with their life
9. How did Hammurabi's Code deal with
agricultural laws?
• Rent was paid with a portion of the crop
• Failure to work the land or maintain
irrigation canals was punishable by having
to cover the cost of damages to the
property of others
• Those who could not afford to pay were
forced into slavery
10. How did Hammurabi's Code deal with
marriage?
• Treated as a business agreement between
families- contracts were signed
• Dowry remained the property of the wife
but was managed by the husband
• Adultery by women was punishable by
death
11. How did Hammurabi's Code deal with
family?
• Women and children could be sold into
slavery to payoff debts
• A father could not disinherit a son without
just cause- it was left to the government to
decide such legal cases
• Laws restricted women's role in the
commercial world, but if was often
overlooked