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Daniel Frates
Professor Sartin
History
September 12, 2020
Code of Hammurabi
1. By whom was this created (or commissioned)?  What do we know of those persons?

The Code of Hammurabi was created by the Babylonian king Hammurabi who resigned
from power 1792 – 1750 B.C. We know that Hammurabi believed in a society of justice.

2. What was the historical/cultural/social context of the period in which this was
created? Why is this important for us to know?
The context of the period that the Code of Hammurabi was created was very depressing.
It was times of as the article states “Political instability, chronic economic depression,
and extremes of wealth and poverty.” (pg. 30) These were tough times that needed a
sustainable power and economic increase, or else things were going to crumble. This is
important for us to know because with out these hard times as described, this code would
have never been needed to maintain a balanced power.

3. How does this source reflect that historical context?

This source reflects the historical context by describing the times leading up to the
making of the code. It describes why it was created so that we can see it was needed to
continue the dynasty.

4. How does this reflect the worldview of the civilization that produced it?

It reflects the worldview of the civilization by showing that people of the time believed in
justice and wanted a balanced system. Their worldview was an “eye for an eye” type
attitude. However, they did not want chaos and extreme tyrannical powers like the past.

5. Who was the intended audience of this source? What knowledge would this
audience have had that would help them understand/interpret this source?

The intended audience of this source would be researchers or students who are learning
about Babylonia. The knowledge that this audience would have that would help them
would be a knowledge of ancient civilizations and how they lived prior to them.
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6. What was the purpose of this source? For what reason was it created?

The purpose of this source is to shed light onto the Code of Hammurabi and show how it
changed the society and balanced the economy of the time. This source put the code into
plain English that is easy to understand and interpret. It was created to inform people of
what the Code of Hammurabi was and its significance in history.

7. What elements of this are surprising to you? How might that affect the ways you
interpret it?

The elements that were surprising to me was how much the code emphasized marriage
and slaves. For example, code 128 to 170 only about marriage and family. This goes to
show how important marriage and family was to this society. However, the wife and
slaves portrayed in the code have the same rank in terms of how they are owned by the
man and have no say. This might affect the way I interpreted it because shows the quality
of life for slaves and for the women.

8. What elements of this are familiar to you? How might that affect the ways you
interpret it?

The elements that are familiar to me are the codes about if a physician destroys some
one’s eye or kills them in the process of helping them then he either owes an eye or his
life. To me it seems like this is where the saying “an eye for an eye” came from.
However, in the context of the code it is meant literally. This affects the way I interpret it
because I can see how their sense of justice is brought upon.

9. How might you use this source to understand the specific civilization that produced
it?

You can use this source to understand the civilization by seeing how much they
prioritized trading and agriculture. This shows that they were a well-developed society
and allowed them to branch off discover new things.

10. How might you use this source to understand the world of the ancient
Mediterranean?

You can use this source to understand the world of the ancient Mediterranean by looking
at how they use the code to govern people, this can show how they needed this type of
government to keep a sustainable society and economy. This can also show how similar
civilizations in the future could use the code to produce the same results.
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