Law 59: If a man cut down a tree in another man's orchard without consent of the owner, he shall pay one-half mina of silver.
Law 98: If a man gave money to another for a partnership, they shall divide equally the profit or loss.
If laziness floods a neighbor's crops, you pay them in grain. Cutting trees without permission costs silver. Partners split profits/losses.
Si por flojera inundas el cultivo vecino, pagas con grano. Cortar un árbol ajeno sin permiso cuesta plata. Socios dividen ganancias/pérdidas.
Irrigation (Riego): Channels of water for crops. / Canales de agua para cultivar.
Hammurabi Station Investigation Slide 4 of 8
STATION 4
Law 122: If a man wishes to give silver, gold, or any thing to another for safekeeping, he shall show witnesses, arrange the contracts, and then deposit it.
Law 123: If he gave it for safekeeping without witnesses and contracts and they deny receiving it, that case is not subject to claim.
Law 215: If a physician performed a major operation with a bronze lancet and saved the man's life or eye, he shall receive ten shekels of silver.
You must have a contract and witnesses to leave gold/silver for safekeeping. Doctors who perform successful surgery are paid 10 silver shekels.
Debes tener contrato y testigos para dejar tu oro/plata en custodia. Los médicos exitosos cobran 10 siclos de plata por cirugía.
Witnesses (Testigos): People who see an agreement. / Personas que ven un acuerdo.
Hammurabi Station Investigation Slide 5 of 8
STATION 5
Law 143: If a woman was not careful, but was a gadabout, thus neglecting her house and humiliating her husband, they shall throw that woman into the water.
Law 162: If, when a man acquired a wife, she bore him children and then died, her father may not lay claim to her dowry, since her dowry belongs to her children.
Law 175: If a slave marries a private citizen's daughter and she has children, the owner of the slave may not lay claim to the children for service.
A lazy wife who humiliates her husband is drowned. If a mother dies, her dowry goes to her children. Children of slave-free marriages are born free.
La esposa que descuida y humilla a su esposo es ahogada. Al morir la madre, su dote va a sus hijos. Hijos de matrimonios de esclavos y libres nacen libres.
Dowry (Dote): Marriage money given by a family. / Dinero familiar para el matrimonio.
Hammurabi Station Investigation Slide 6 of 8
STATION 6
Law 202: If a man struck the cheek of a man superior to him, he shall be beaten sixty times with an oxtail whip in public.
Law 203: If an aristocrat has struck the cheek of another aristocrat of same rank, he shall pay one mina of silver.
Law 204: If a commoner has struck another commoner, he shall pay ten shekels of silver.
Law 205: If a slave has struck the cheek of an aristocrat, they shall cut off his ear.
Punishments are not equal. Hitting a rich person brings severe whipping or heavy fines. Slaves who hit a rich person lose an ear.
Los castigos no son iguales. Golpear a un noble se paga con latigazos o multas altas. El esclavo que golpee a un noble pierde la oreja.
Aristocracy & Commoner: Elite vs. normal citizens. / La clase alta frente a ciudadanos comunes.
Hammurabi Station Investigation Slide 7 of 8
Class Debrief Discussion Questions
1. Fairness / Justicia
Do you think these ancient laws were fair? Why or why not?
¿Crees que estas leyes antiguas eran justas? ¿Por qué sí o por qué no?
2. Social Class / Clase Social
How did your social class affect your safety under Hammurabi’s rules?
¿Cómo afectaba la clase social a la seguridad de una persona bajo estas reglas?
Ancient Babylon Legislative History Unit
Slide 8 of 8
