 282 laws carved on 12 tablets  6 ft. stele in public space  Written in Akkadian language

 First to “presume innocent”  First to have Accuser & accused provide evidence in their cases  First written law code in world history! Hammurabi’s greatest achievement!

The House of Representatives Chamber is adorned with relief portraits of famous lawmakers and lawgivers throughout history. In order clockwise around the chamber:  George Mason George Mason  Robert Joseph Pothier Robert Joseph Pothier  Jean Baptiste Colbert Jean Baptiste Colbert  Edward I Edward I  Alfonso X Alfonso X  Pope Gregory IX Pope Gregory IX  Saint Louis Saint Louis  Justinian I Justinian I  Tribonian Tribonian  Lycurgus Lycurgus  Hammurabi Hammurabi  Moses Moses  Solon Solon  Papinian Papinian  Gaius Gaius  Maimonides Maimonides  Suleiman the Magnificent Suleiman the Magnificent  Pope Innocent III Pope Innocent III  Simon de Montfort Simon de Montfort  Hugo Grotius Hugo Grotius  Sir William Blackstone Sir William Blackstone  Napoleon I Napoleon I  Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson

In the Next slide are excerpts from Hammurabi’s Code Look for the following examples of principles in Hammurabi’s Code on the next slide: Examples of Patriarchy – Men viewed as superior to women Examples of Social Inequality – Rich more important than commoners, the poor or slaves Examples of Principle of Retaliation – “Eye for an Eye” punishment fits the crime

If a man has destroyed the eye of a man of the gentleman class, they shall destroy his eye.... If he has destroyed the eye of a commoner... he shall pay one mina of silver. If he has destroyed the eye of a gentleman's slave... he shall pay half the slave's price. If any one break a hole into a house (break in to steal), he shall be put to death before that hole and be buried. If a man knock out the teeth of his equal, his teeth shall be knocked out If a man strike a free-born woman so that she loses her unborn child, he shall pay ten shekels for her loss. If a man strikes a slave woman so that she loses her unborn child, he must set her free but shall pay nothing for her loss.