1. Ancient Eastern Mediterranean Civilizations
Standard: Analyze the origins, structures, and interactions of complex societies in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean from 3500 BCE to 500 BCE.
Essential Question: What were the origins, structures, and interactions of complex societies in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean from 3500 BCE to 500 BCE?

2. Activator
Why would a society settle along a river?

3. Hammurabi’s Law Code description
282 laws
inscribed on an 8-foot-high stele (stone slab)

4. Law Code engraving of King Hammurabi receiving the laws from Shamash
Babylonian Sun-God
believed to oversee justice in human affairs
based on the principle of retaliation
conditional sentence
if you do this, you will receive this punishment

5. Purpose for the Code
“to promote the welfare of the people, make justice visible in the land, destroy the wicked person and the evil, in order that the strong might not injure the weak.”
placed all groups in the empire under one law

6. Purpose for the Code
deals with many aspects of daily life: property rights, trade(business), family issues, professional services, and crime
contained consumer protection laws to encourage the proper performance of work
largest group of laws dealt with marriage and the family

7. Marriage & Family Laws
Parents arranged marriages, and the two parties signed a marriage contract
protected women and children
Women still had fewer privileges and rights than men
expressed the patriarchal nature of Mesopotamian society
enforced the obedience of children to parents

8. Purpose for the Code Penalties were severe
punished the rich and poor differently
Main Idea = governments job to look after its people

9. Activity
Students will individually complete the Hammurabi’s Law Code guided reading assignment.
Students will select 3 of Hammurabi’s Law Codes they agree with the most and explain why.

10. summarizer
Do you agree with Hammurabi’s Law Code? Why or Why not?