Hammurabi S Code Essay, Research Paper
HAmmurabi s code
The Code of Hammurabi is a series of 282 laws decreed by Hammurabi, the ruler of the city of Babylon
at about 1750 BC. It was written so that people would have a consistent set of rules to follow in settling
disputes and imposing penalties. The code regulated economic, social and moral life. Hammaurabi s code of
laws provided people with a orderly system of government.
The Code of Hammurabi was the first legal code known in its entirety. It was based on the concept, an
eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. It gave people a more orderly system of government than letting people
take matters into their own hands. Hammurabi s code made the punishment fit the crime. It served as the
foundation for future codes. This code was so significant because it regulated everything that went on in
Babylon.
The Code of Hammurabi served many purposes to the Babylonian society. Hammarabi wanted justice to
prevail. He didn t want to see people get away with an act of injustice. He wanted to destroy evil. The code
made people think twice about committing an act of crime. There were also laws that prevented the strong from
oppressing the weak. Hammurabi wanted to make sure that the wealthy gave a little something back to the poor
people. This also prevented men from beating or neglecting their wives. A final purpose for this code was to
further the welfare of the people, to improve their lives and make them feel safer. These four purposes were all
carried out by the laws of the code.
The Code of Hammurabi was carved in a huge stone for public display. It was put somewhere in the
village where people could see it at least once a day. The code is set down in horizontal columns of cuneiform
writing. There was 16 columns of text on the observe side and 28 on the reverse. The code is composed of <
about 28 paragraphs. It is a series of amendments to the common law of Babylon. A copy of the code was
recently found, it was 7 feet and 5 inches tall. The block of black basalt that was found in 1902 is now in
Lourve, Paris. Hammurabi wanted his code to be advertised as a supreme legal document to everyone.
The Code of Hammurabi and American modern day law can also be contrasted by how they were
composed. The process of creating a law in modern America must go through many different steps until it can
become a law. In Hammurabi s code, if he wanted a law, he could just write it down without asking many
people before it can become a law. The process is much tougher in modern day American.
The greatest difference between the two types of laws is that they Code of Hammurabi has much harsher
punishments. The punishments of the code often involved death, while today there are not too many death
sentences. For example, if a boy hit his father today, he would probably be grounded. According to the Code of
Hammurabi, he would get his hand chopped off. The Hammurabi Code made life much harder to live by.
America has a more laid back approach while Hammurabi had a serious approach.
Hammurabi s Code might have served as a better source of justice. When people know what their
punishments are, they are less likely to commit the crime. Even though Hammurabi was harsher, it made people
afraid of doing wrong. Hammurabi s justice is better because it spells out everything for someone. The harsh
punishments that people received were an example to the people thinking about doing that crime.
In conclusion, Hammurabi set a standard for many other cultures. It was the first set of laws ever
written. His beliefs spread throughout the world and were practiced by many. The code made many people
realize how life should be lived, separating the good from the evil.