Applying the Code of Hammurabi to Babylonian Court Cases
Applying the Code of
Hammurabi to Babylonian Court Cases
Assignments to hand in from this activity: Court Case Chart & Comprehension Questions
Introduction: Connecting the present to the past - Video: The Judicial Branch of our Federal Government
Step 1: Look at/read the following Babylonian court cases and choose 2 to work on. Print out the court cases you chose.
Court Case: Citizen Accused of Stealing an Ox
Court Case: Commoner Accused of Harboring a Runaway Slave
Court Case: Commoner and Soldier Claiming the Same Piece of Land
Court Case: Nobleman and Slave Involved in a Brawl
Court Case: Builder Accused of Faulty Construction
Court Case: Man Seeking Divorce Without Financial Settlement
Court Case: Farmer Refusing to Pay Rent
Court Case: Woman Seeking Damages for Her Father's Wrongful Death
Court Case: Dispute Between Nobleman and Doctor over Patient Death
Step 2: Print out and read the Laws from the Code of Hammurabi as they pertain to (match) the laws within your court cases.
Step 3: Answer questions at the end of the script in paragraph form where it says, "Stop Here & Discuss".
Step 4: Read each court case and fill out the following chart: Judging Babylonian Court Cases. Follow the directions!
Step 5: Answer the following questions in paragraph form:
a. What did you find most interesting about each case?
b. Which laws do you believe were fair? Unfair?
c. Which laws from the Code of Hammurabi are similar to laws we have today?
d. Which laws are different from laws we have today?
e. Which Babylonian values do you think are similar to American values? Which values are different?
f. How would you feel about living in a community that used the laws from the Code of Hammurabi?