hammurabi’s code: was it just?. one of the world’s oldest sets of laws was written by hammurabi...

DBQ - DOCUMENT BASED QUESTIONS

Hammurabi’s Code: Was It Just?

OVERVIEWHAMMURABI’S CODE: WAS IT JUST?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDALXORbtR4

One of the world’s oldest sets of laws was written by Hammurabi king of Babylon in the 18th century BCE. Hammurabi’s Code is often studied to understand the values of ancient Mesopotamia, and also to understand the concept of justice. This Document Based Question explores the idea of fairness-what is “just”– by asking you to think about the punishments and rewards that made up Hammurabi’s Code.

The Documents:Document A: The Stone Stele (“stee-lee”)Document B: Epilogue of the CodeDocument C: Family LawDocument D: Property LawDocument E: Personal – Injury Law



HOOK EXERCISE:HAMMURABI’S CODE: WAS IT JUST?

Leaders throughout history have had to grapple with the task of creating just, or fair, laws. One such leader was Hammurabi, whose laws are the subject of this assignment. Hammurabi’s concern was creating just laws for the people of Babylonia 4,000 years ago.

HOOK EXERCISE:HAMMURABI’S CODE: WAS IT JUST?

Task 1: With your group, talk through the two cases below and discuss the questions that follow. In each case, you will consider justice in three ways:

Is the outcome fair to the accused? Is the outcome fair to the victim? Is the outcome in the best interest of the general

society?

Task 2 Pick one rule in your school. Then decide if it is just. Explain.

Is it fair to the rule breaker?Is it fair to those who are harmed?Is it fair to the greater school community?

HAMMURABI’S CODE - DBQ TIMELINE

3500 BCE-Sumerians settle in southern Mesopotamia. 1900 BCE – Warriors from Babylonia conquer Sumer. 1792 BCE – Hammurabi becomes sixth Amorite king of

Babylon. 1750 BCE – End of Hammurabi’s nearly 43 year rule 1600BCE – Assyrian invasion ends rule in Babylonia 323 BCE – Alexander The Great dies in Babylon after

planning to make Babylon the capital of his empire.

BACKGROUND ESSAY QUESTIONSHAMMURABI’S CODE: WAS IT JUST?

1. How many centuries ago did Hammurabi live? How long did he rule?

2. From Larsa to Mari, what was the approximate length of Babylonia from north to south?

3. What was the estimated population of Babylonia?

4. Into what three social classes was the population divided?

5. In general terms, what is Hammurabi’s Code?6. Define these terms:

city-state, Babylonia, Mesopotamia, cuneiform, stele

DBQ KEY TERMS

City-State: An independent city, sometimes walled, and often including the territory around it.

Babylonia: The kingdom ruled by Hammurabi. It included a number of city-states and was located in Mesopotamia, along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Mesopotamia: A region in the Middle East that included modern-day Iraq and sections of modern-day Turkey, Iran, and Syria. Note: In Greek, Mesopotamia means “between the rivers.”

Cuneiform: A kind of writing used in Sumer and Babylonia. Letters were carved into stone or soft clay with a stylus, which looked a bit like a chopstick.

Stele: An upright stone slab or pillar, often bearing an inscription

UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTIONHAMMURABI’S CODE: WAS IT JUST?

What is the analytical question asked by this Document Based Question?

What terms in the question need to be defined?

Rewrite the question in your own words.

Reason #1Just/Not Just

Pre-bucketing



DOCUMENT A – ANALYSIS:

THE STONE STELE (“STEE-LEE”)

1. What kind of writing was used to inscribe the code on the stele?

2. The code was divided into what three parts?3. From where or whom does Hammurabi get the

laws?4. Is there any evidence in this document that can

be used to argue that Hammurabi’s Code was just?

5. Is there any evidence in this document that can be used to argue that Hammurabi’s Code was not just?

DOCUMENT B – ANALYSIS:

EPILOGUE OF THE CODE

1. According to Hammurabi, what was his purpose for having written these laws?

2. Who commanded Hammurabi to create this monument?

3. What does Hammurabi threaten will happen to any future Babylonian king who does not follow these laws?

4. How can you use this document to argue that Hammurabi’s Code was just?

5. How can you use this document to argue that Hammurabi’s Code was not just?

DOCUMENT C – ANALYSIS:

FAMILY LAW

1. In Law 129, what does it mean to “bind them and cast them into the water?”

2. In Law 168, what does it mean to “disinherit” a son?

3. Two crimes in the document result in physical punishment. What are those crimes? How might Hammurabi argue that the punishments were just?

4. Hammurabi said that his code was meant to protect the weak. Is there evidence in this document that the code did so?

5. Overall, are these laws regarding family just?

DOCUMENT D – ANALYSIS:

PROPERTY LAW

1. In Law 21, what is the penalty for breaking into a home?

2. How might Hammurabi justify harsh punishment?3. In Law 23, if the robber is not caught, who

reimburses the victim for his or her loss?4. How might Hammurabi have justified reimbursing

the victim?5. In Law 48, what is a creditor? Is Law 48 fair to

creditors?6. Overall, are these laws regarding property just?

DOCUMENT E – ANALYSIS:

PERSONAL-INJURY LAW

1. Examine laws 196 and 199. How do you think Hammurabi would justify the different punishments for the same crime?

2. What is the meaning of “fruit of her womb”?3. How might Hammurabi argue that laws 215 and

218 were just?4. How could you use these laws about personal injury

to argue that Hammurabi’s Code was not just?5. Is justice absolute? That is, is a just punishment in

1800 BCE also a just punishment today? Explain your thinking.

SHORT-CONSTRUCTED RESPONSES You will write 2 paragraphs with a minimum

of 5 sentences each. These should include: - Paragraph 1- “Hammurabi’s Code - Was it Just?” (Fair)

Answer: Yes. Include an introductory sentence, 3 supporting sentences

using facts from 3 documents and a concluding sentence.

- Paragraph 2 – “Hammurabi’s Code - Was it Just?” (Fair) Answer: No. Include an introductory sentence, 3 supporting sentences

using facts from 3 documents and a concluding sentence.

GETTING READY TO WRITE

Task One: Bucketing Look over all the documents and organize them into your final

buckets. Write labels under each bucket and place the letters of the documents in the buckets where they belong. You can put a document in more than one bucket. That is called multi-bucketing, but you need a good reason to do so. Remember, your buckets are going to become your body paragraphs.

Task Two: Thesis Development and Road Map On the chicken foot below, write your thesis and your road

map. Your thesis is always an opinion that answers the Document Based Question. The road map is created from your bucket labels and lists the topic areas you will examine in

order to prove your thesis.

Hammurabi’s Code was just/not just because of its

Reason #1

Reason #2Reason #3

Reason #1Family Law

Just

Pre-Bucketing Example

Reason #2Property Law

Just

Reason #3Personal Injury Law

Just

Hammurabi’s Code was just because of itsFamily law

Property lawPersonal Injury law

ESSAY OUTLINE

¶ 1 > Intro = Start with a broad topic, and work to a narrowed “thesis” statement. (3-5 sentences)

¶ 2 > Reason #1 just/not just = Give at least 2 supporting details with examples for each. (5-7 sentences)



¶ 5> Conclusion = Re-state “thesis” statement and main ideas in a NEW WAY, leave the reader with final message of the paper. (3-5 sentences)