AM Core - Hammurabi's Code 3.10.14

We've read about Hammurabi's Code in chapter three of your text. You've also read more in-depth information about the background of Hammurabi and how his code of laws impacted his people, as well as our modern legal system. Read through the following examples that appear in the code. Choose one that you think is fair and one that you think is unfair. After making your selection, follow the directions below to create a structured response.

If any one bring an accusation of any crime before the elders, and does not prove what he has charged, he shall, if it be a capital offense charged, be put to death.

If any one steal the property of a temple or of the court, he shall be put to death, and also the one who receives the stolen thing from him shall be put to death.

If fire break out in a house, and some one who comes to put it out cast his eye upon the property of the owner of the house, and take the property of the master of the house, he shall be thrown into that self-same fire.

If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out. If he break another man's bone, his bone shall be broken. If he put out the eye of a freed man, or break the bone of a freed man, he shall pay one gold mina. If he put out the eye of a man's slave, or break the bone of a man's slave, he shall pay one-half of its value 

If any one open his ditches to water his crop, but is careless, and the water flood the field of his neighbor, then he shall pay his neighbor corn for his loss.

If conspirators meet in the house of a tavern-keeper, and these conspirators are not captured and delivered to the court, the tavern-keeper shall be put to death.  

If a soldier is ordered on an errand of the king and does not go, or pays a helper to go in his place, that soldier shall be put to death, and his helper shall take his house.

After selecting one law you believe to be fair and one law you believe to be unfair, do the following:

1. Create a Google Doc and share it with me. The title will be "AM Core.Alpert.LastName_Hammurabi."

2. Use your textbook and the article about Hammurabi, as well as the information above, to craft an essay that introduces Hammurabi's Code and gives your opinion on its level of fairness. The outline of your essay should be as follows:

Paragraph 1: Very briefly introduce Hammurabi's Code and Hammurabi himself. Your last sentence should be your thesis statement and should be similar to the following: "Based on today's standards, Hammurabi's Code contains some laws that I believe to be fair and some that I consider unfair."

Paragraph 2: Use your textbook and the Hammurabi article to give some background on the code. Why was it important to the Babylonian Empire? How was it discovered? What impact does it have on our society?

Paragraph 3: Briefly discuss one law that you believe to be unfair. Be sure to state the law and give details to support your belief with examples. 

Paragraph 4: Briefly discuss one law that you believe to be fair. Be sure to state the law and give details to support your belief with examples.

Paragraph 5: Briefly conclude your essay with a restatement of your thesis in different words and a very short summary of your opinions. Do not introduce any new information that you have not previously discussed.