Chapter 3.1 Akkad and Babylon

Questions How is an empire different from a civilization? What are some of the difficulties in maintaining an empire?

Akkad ~2340 BCE, Akkadians overrun Sumerian city-states Sargon: leader of Akkad Akkad becomes first empire in world history Empire: A large political unit or state, usually under a single leader, that controls many peoples or territories. Sargon’s power based on strong military 5,400 men Sargon’s grandson Naram-Sin takes power, expands empire Akkadian empire falls by 2150 BCE (~190 years)

Babylonian Empire Hammurabi’s Rule End of Akkadian empire brings return to city- states Hammurabi: King of city-state Babylon (1792 BCE) Establishes new Mesopotamian empire with help of new military tactics Babylonian Empire is short lived (42 years) Hammurabi’s death in 1750 BCE led to weak successors

Code of Hammurabi Code of laws that regulated people’s relationships with one another Based on a system of strict justice; retaliation (eye for an eye) Strict standards for public officials Early consumer-protection laws

Code of Hammurabi Much of the Code of Hammurabi is focused on marriage/family Mesopotamian society was patriarchal Patriarchal: male-dominated Women had far fewer rights according to Hammurabi’s Code than men Children also strictly controlled

Code of Hammurabi Examples If a builder builds a house and the house collapses and kills the owner of the house, the builder shall be put to death. If the house collapses and kills the owner's son, then the son of the builder shall be put to death. If a man has stolen the goods of a temple or palace, that man shall be killed, and he who has received the stolen thing from his hand shall be put to death.  If a man has stolen ox or sheep or donkey or pig or ship, whether from the temple or the palace, he shall pay thirtyfold. If he be a poor man, he shall render tenfold. If the thief has nought to pay, he shall be put to death. If an owner of lost property has not brought witnesses knowing his lost property, he has lied. He has stirred up strife; he shall be put to death. If anyone breaks into a house to steal, he will be put to death before that point of entry and be buried there (walled into the house). If a holy woman opens a tavern door or enters a tavern for a drink, she shall be burned to death.

Code of Hammurabi Activity Using your phones, go to: https://tinyurl.com/y7x66ov5 Read through portions of the laws on that site. On a sheet of paper, answer: Based on these laws, what can we learn about Babylonian society? About their religion? About gender? About social classes? About criminal punishment? Any other observations: USE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES

Code of Hammurabi Project Partner Work Using your answers from the previous Code of Hammurabi activity, make a final decision on whether or not the following things were treated fairly in your own opinion: Gender Social class Criminal punishment Create a presentation (Google Slides) that compares laws from the Code of Hammurabi to laws in the modern/historic U.S. Each slide should include your opinion of the law from Hammurabi’s Code and of the law from the U.S. with a brief description of why Minimum four slides (one for each category and title slide) Due Sunday, 9/3 Share with: kshipp@ccusd93.org

HAMMURABI VS. UNITED STATES Mr. Shipp

GENDER Babylon 110. If a holy woman opens a tavern door or enters a tavern for a drink, she shall be burned to death. UNFAIR: Hammurabi’s Code makes no mention of penalties for a man doing the same thing, only a woman. United States The rights of citizens of the State of Utah to vote and hold office shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex. Both male and female citizens of this State shall enjoy all civil, political and religious rights and privileges. Utah Constitution, Article IV, §1 (1896) FAIR: This permits both men and women the same exact rights.

SOCIAL CLASS Babylon 196. If a man put out the eye of a nobleman, his eye shall be put out. 199. If he puts out the eye of a man's slave, or breaks the bone of a man's slave, he shall pay one-half of its value. UNFAIR: Nobility are protected by stricter laws, whereas the punishment for mistreating a slave is lenient. United States Virginia, 1705 – "If any slave resists his master... correcting such a slave, and shall happen to be killed in such correction... the master shall be free of all punishment... as if such accident never happened.“ UNFAIR: This law explicitly states that freemen are exempt from crimes against slaves, when crimes against other freemen would be punishable.