Name __________________________________ Period # ______
Hammurabi’s Code
Directions: Find the Punishment below
that matches the crime committed in
your story.
Punishment #1: The builder will be put to death.
Punishment #2: The thief must repay either 30 times or ten times the
object’s value depending on who they stole from.
Punishment #3: They shall cut off his fingers.
Punishment #4: Depending on her innocence or guilt she shall return to
her father’s house or be thrown into the river.
Punishment #5: The person who injured the victim must pay either one
gold mina or half of a gold mina depending on the
victim’s class.
Hammurabi’s Codes’ Notes
Directions: Fill in the blanks below as your classmates present their Code of Hammurabi.
Code #1: If a man has _______ an ox, a sheep, a pig that belonged to a temple or
palace, he shall repay _______ times its cost. If it belonged to a private citizen, he
shall repay _____ times.
Code #2: If a woman hates her _________ the authorities shall investigate… If
her husband has neglected or belittled her, she may return to her father’s _______.
If she is guilty, she shall be thrown in the ________.
Code #3: If a man puts out the ______ of free man, he shall pay _____ gold mina.
If he put out the eye of a man’s _______, he shall pay one-half of its value.
Code #4: If a son strikes his _________, they shall cut off his ________.
Code # 5: If a builder builds a ________ and does not make its construction firm,
and the house _________ and causes the death of the owner, the builder shall be put
to __________.
Directions: With your group, use your notes from the presentations to answer the
questions below.
Question 1: Why do you think the Hammurabi’s Code punishments for crimes were listed
along with the laws?
Question 2: Were Hammurabi’s Codes fair to all groups – if not, then who was treated
unfairly?
Question 3: Why would Hammurabi create a law code that was unequal?
Question 4: In what ways have Hammurabi’s Code influenced today’s society?
Group Tasks
Directions: Assign a task to each person in your group and write your names below. You
will be assessed on how well you complete the task you were assigned.
Task
Scribe (Fill out blanks on
overhead sheet using story
and punishment your
chose)
Illustrator (Draw picture
of story on overhead sheet)
Illustrator (Draw picture
of story on overhead sheet)
Presenter (present picture
and sentence on overhead
to class)
Presenter (*only need 2nd
presenter if 5 people in
your group)
Group Member’s Name
Draw Picture of What Happened in Your Story Here
Hammurabi’s Code 1:
Code #1: If a man has _______ an ox, a sheep, a
pig that belonged to a temple or palace, he shall
repay _______ times its cost. If it belonged to a
private citizen, he shall repay _____ times.
Draw Picture of What Happened in Your Story Here
Hammurabi’s Code 2:
If a woman hates her _________ the authorities
shall investigate… If her husband has neglected or
belittled her, she may return to her father’s
_______. If she is guilty, she shall be thrown in the
________.
Draw Picture of What Happened in Your Story Here
Hammurabi’s Code 3:
If a man puts out the ______ of free man, he shall
pay _____ gold mina. If he put out the eye of a
man’s _______, he shall pay one-half of its value.
Draw Picture of What Happened in Your Story Here
Hammurabi’s Code 4:
If a son strikes his _________, they
shall cut off his ________.
Draw Picture of What Happened in Your Story Here
Hammurabi’s Code 5:
If a builder builds a ________ and does not make
its construction firm, and the house _________ and
causes the death of the owner, the builder shall be
put to __________.
Hammurabi’s Code 1 Story
A Mesopotamian man planted his crops two weeks before the unpredicted flooding
of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. He and his family were able to survive on last
year’s reserves for a few weeks, but then he became desperate. He decided he need
to steal a sheep or pig to feed his family, but had a dilemma – does he steal from the
rich (a temple or palace) or from his neighbor (a private citizen). He chose his
neighbor because he knew the time of day his neighbor left his home unattended to
go the market.
1. Discuss: What is the crime?
2. Match the crime to the punishment (on the front of worksheet #16)
Hammurabi would have given
Hammurabi’s Code 2 Story
A Mesopotamian woman has been married to husband for five years. Her marriage
was terrific for the first few months, but then her husband began gambling away his
paycheck with his friends and not returning home until the wee hours of the
morning. The Mesopotamian woman has decided to leave her husband due to his
neglect, but she is worried the Mesopotamian leaders will not agree with her that
she has good reason to leave.
1. Discuss: What is the crime?
2. Match the crime to the punishment (on the front of worksheet #16)
Hammurabi would have given
Hammurabi’s Code 3 Story
A Mesopotamian free man bumps into slave carrying his master’s goods to market.
The man asks for an apology from the slave, but the slave ignores him. Disturbed
by the slaves rudeness he decides to pick a fight with the slave. After fighting for a
few minutes, the Mesopotamian free man grabs a sharp rod near him and pokes out
the eye of the slave. The slave falls to the ground and is found by his master a few
moments later.
1. Discuss: What is the crime?
2. Match the crime to the punishment (on the front of worksheet #16)
Hammurabi would have given
Hammurabi’s Code 4 Story
A Mesopotamian father scolds his son for ignoring his orders to sheer the family’s
sheep and instead going to hang out with his friends. The son thinks his father is
unfair to expect him to work everyday when his friends only have to work a couple
of days a week. The son decides to talk back saying his father is a terrible man.
His father has had enough and kicks him out of the house. Upset and frustrated the
son strikes (hits) his father.
1. Discuss: What is the crime?
2. Match the crime to the punishment (on the front of worksheet #16)
Hammurabi would have given
Hammurabi’s Code 5 Story
A Mesopotamian builder is hired to construct a new house for a newlywed couple.
He says yes knowing that he already has another building job lined up for next
month. To ensure that he finishes this home in time to get to his next job, he rushes
through the construction, doing a poor job. A year later a huge windstorm comes
through the town and the poorly constructed home falls on and kills the newlywed
couple.
1. Discuss: What is the crime?
2. Match the crime to the punishment (on the front of worksheet #16)
Hammurabi would have given
Code #1: If a man has stolen an ox, a sheep, a pig that belonged to a temple or
palace, he shall repay thirty times its cost. If it belonged to a private citizen, he
shall repay ten times.
Code #2: If a woman hates her husband the authorities shall investigate… If her
husband has neglected or belittled her, she may return to her father’s house. If she
is guilty, she shall be thrown in the river.
Code #3: If a man puts out the eye of free man, he shall pay one gold mina. If he
put out the eye of a man’s slave, he shall pay one-half of its value.
Code #4: If a son strikes his father, they shall cut off his fingers.
Code # 5: If a builder builds a house and does not make its construction firm, and
the house collapses and causes the death of the owner, the builder shall be put to
death.
Question 1: Why do you think the
Hammurabi’s Code punishments for crimes
were listed along with the laws?
Question 2: Were Hammurabi’s Codes fair to
all groups – if not, then who was treated
unfairly?
Question 3: Why would Hammurabi create a
law code that was unequal?
Question 4: In what ways have Hammurabi’s
Code influenced today’s society?