Code of Hammurabi

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/code-of-hammurabi

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the date of promulgation?Circa 1754 BCE
2. What is the material of stele?Basalt
3. Why did King Hammurabi make the Code?He wanted to show he was a just ruler, protect the weak, and keep everyone safe. The laws were displayed for all to see.
4. How were punishments decided in the Code?The code used the idea of "an eye for an eye" but the punishment could be different for nobles, commoners, or slaves. It tried to match the offense to the person involved.

Lex Talionis: The principle of 'an eye for an eye,' where the punishment is equivalent to the offense committed.
Social Stratification: The division of society into different hierarchical classes or ranks.
Codified Law: Laws that are systematically written down and organized into a code or collection.
Mesopotamia: An ancient region in Western Asia, situated between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, often called the 'cradle of civilization'.