Hammurabi's Law: First Code of Written Laws

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“ I Hammurabi am the king who is preeminent among kings; my words are choice; my ability has no equal. By the order of Shamash, the great judge of heaven and earth, may my justice prevail in the land;...” (Hammurabi)(Haberman, A., & Hundey, I. (Eds.). (1994). 16. In Civilizations: A cultural atlas. Agincourt, Ont.: Gage Educational Pub.)

Hammurabi, the Babylonian king 3700 years ago, set down the very first code of written laws; Hammurabi’s code of law was one of very first set of written laws that he wanted everyone to follow. It did not matter if you were rich or poor; if you had violated the law, you were to be punished. The laws that Hammurabi created were not just for criminal cases but there were also some laws on property law, family law, marriage law and more. Hammurabi’s code of law changed the way how most people lived in Mesopotamia, because they would have to obey the law and follow it at all time. Hammurabi’s law had outlined everyone's roles in society: slaves, women, men, and nobles. The law marked a turning point for Babylonians of all classes, who now knew what to expect from their king and government in all areas of life.

King Hammurabi is one of the Mesopotamian kings. Hammurabi was the sixth ruler of Babylon, he ruled the Babylonian empire from 1792-1750 BCE. Hammurabi was most famous for his oldest set of written laws that he wanted to create so he could maintain control over his country. King Hammurabi helped his country in every way he could; he had many accomplishments like building temples, promoted agriculture, maintained order and promoted literary activity. During Hammurabi’s reign he took over some neighboring territories and claimed his own; by doing this he united Mesopotamia as a whole. H...

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...try as a whole. It played an important role because it helped most people in the society. The law was important because it was the first set of laws ever written down and most people followed it. Hammurabi’s law made his country into a place where there actually was fairness and some equality between people. Shorty after Hammurabi’s death, the kingdom went into chaos, with many people competing for the kingdom. The code lived, it was adopted by the people who took over the region and were used. Hammurabi’s law has gave people a way to control and maintain their country.
Bibliography
Hammurabi's Code: What Does It Tell Us About Old Babylonia? | EDSITEment. (n.d.). Hammurabi's Code: What Does It Tell Us About Old Babylonia? | EDSITEment. Retrieved from http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/hammurabis-code-what-does-it-tell-us-about-old-babylonia#sect-introduction

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