Hammurabi Code Dbq

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The Hammurabi Code is the oldest and most comprehensive set of laws in the world. The 282 laws set the structure for the civilization of Mesopotamia. Hammurabi, who was the sixth king of Mesopotamia, created these laws for a sense of order and peace. However, when investigating these laws further, they seem unfair and unjust for many reasons. People would be punished differently based on their class status. The punishments were harsher towards the freemen, rather than slaves. Although the Hammurabi Code worked to keep order and justice, discrimination existed between slaves and freemen, men and women, and adults and children. To start off, major discrimination existed between the slaves and freemen under these laws. First, if a doctor killed …show more content…

The laws gave men more freedom over their lives, unlike women. Lastly, if a woman killed another woman, her daughter would be put to death! However, if a man killed another man, he would be killed. The person who killed someone should have been put to death, because the kids were innocent. Overall, women were considered their “husband’s property,” and they were not considered a true wife until they had kids. The Hammurabi Code allowed more freedom for men. Lastly, the Hammurabi Code allowed parents to “rule” over their children and allowed adults to be more important than their kids. First off, children would be put into slavery if they disrespected their parents! Children had to be cautious of their actions, because whatever they did could result in punishment. Secondly, if a parent committed a crime, their child could be killed. The child could be completely innocent but still be put to death. Lastly, parents were in charge of the estate issues in the house. If parents were divorced, the kids would have no say in where they wished to go. Overall, children were considered property of their parents and did not get as much freedom as adults. In conclusion, the world’s oldest and most structured set of laws were created to protect all

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