Hammurabi Dbq Research Paper

Hammurabi was the king of a Mesopotamian kingdom named Babylon in 1792 B.C.E. Hammurabi was a very famous king, known for his code of laws. These laws were said to be written by Hammurabi to create order and fairness in his kingdom. Hammurabi was instructed to create this specific code of laws by the god of justice, Shamash. Even though Shamash instructed these laws, he never signed the code himself. The laws, names of gods, and writings were carved into a large stone like pillar called a stele (BGE, Doc A). Hammurabi’s code, was it just? The famous code of laws created by Hammurabi were not just, because of the Family, Property, and Personal Injury laws he created. The Family Law section of Hammurabi’s Code is not just, and here is why. First, Hammurabi states in law 195 that by striking your father the punishment results in the amputation of your hands. Next, law 129 says that if a married lady is caught with another man, the woman shall be bind and cast into the water. Also, the law 148 in Hammurabi’s code says that if a male’s spouse is ill with a disease, the male shall marry another woman and not divorce his first spouse (Doc C). The three of these laws clearly show that …show more content…
Laws 21 and 23 prove that Hammurabi’s Property Laws weren’t just. The first law, law 21 states that if a man is caught breaking into another person's home that he shall be put to death and his body will be pierced and hung. After that, law 23 claims that if the man is not caught robbing a home, the homeowner will get everything back he has lost (Doc D). These property laws both show that Hammurabi’s Code is once again about violence being the key. Also law 23 states the man will get everything he lost back, but then the people of Babylon have to pay more for common goods and needs so that the mayor has the money to buy their items