Download Primary Source Analysis

Shirley Wong
9/11/10
Primary Source Analysis
Document: Hammurabi’s Code
Author – Who created this?
-Hammurabi is the author
-first king of Babylon
What do we know about the
author? What might influence -ruler of Mesopotamia
-created laws to preserve greater goods
their opinions?
-his power influenced order.
- code created to unify Mesopotamia
Place – Where and when
-1800 – 1750 B.C.E
was it created -law was discovered in Iran in 1901 C.E
Prior Knowledge
What do we know about
where this was created? What
have we learned about this
topic? Society that may be
relevant?
Audience
Who is the intended
audience? How might they
receive this? – quotes to
support your claims?
Reason for Creation
What is the purpose of this
document? Read between the
lines, support claims with a
quote
The Main Idea
Support with quotes
Significance
How does this relate to the
big picture? What can it tell
us as historians? Relate to
ESPIRIT if possible
The code was created in Mesopotamia by Hammurabi. Before
Hammurabi as Mesopotamia ruler, Babylon, Assyria, and Sumer
operated with their own code of conduct. After his rule his laws were
supreme. Hammurabi’s influence dispersed throughout Mesopotamia.
-an ancient era where new things and inventions erupted.
-3 classes: Kings and Nobles, Merchants, and Slaves.
The people of Mesopotamia (Babylon, Assyria, Sumer) are the
intended audience. The law starting with “if a man has…” towards
concluding in consequences such as “ put to death…” which puts fear
upon the people making them more likely to be more careful and
follow the rules.
-lower classes
The purpose of this document was to maintain order in a society
without chaos. Hammurabi’s code justifies from right and wrong like
“an eye for an eye”.
-under God’s eye.
The main idea of Hammurabi’s code is “an eye for an eye” For an
example, if you do something wrong, you will face the consequences
that follow the wrong act.
The big picture of this is the set of Hammurabi’s laws for an ideal way
of life. These rules brought together the separate Mesopotamian
civilizations such as Babylon, Assyria, and Sumer.
-based on social structures
-tells historians how society works.