Mesopotamia - Primary Document Lesson

Learning laws of ancient civilizations is completely relevant to student’s lives in the present day United States. The laws and consequences presented in this lesson through primary sources such as the Hammurabi Code will provoke students to relate to laws and consequences in their own lives; whether that is in a school, town, state, or country. Students will reflect on a democratic government and the values that a democratic government possesses as opposed to some of the ideas reflected in the primary sources. The first order primary source is the Hammurabi Code. The Hammurabi Code is a set of laws set by King Hammurabi, ruler of the city – state Babylon. King Hammurabi conquered a plethora of city – states in the greater Mesopotamian region. Questions for students to ponder include: The code is a type of uniformity for all of the city states? Why would a ruler want uniformity among the city states? As the King acquired more power and more land, he was able to improve the irrigation system, tax system, and government housing system. The people of Mesopotamia were united under one religion and strictly adhered to the code of law – which was consistent for all individuals in Mesopotamia. To students: Why was King Hammurabi’s era considered “The Golden Age of Babylon?”

The second order document is a list of laws that are from different time periods in Mesopotamia. Students can compare and contrast the similarities and differences between these laws and that of King Hammurabi’s time. After students use the guide to read and deduce morals/values/emphasis from these laws, the students will be broken up into partners. The partners will look at contracts that were made in Mesopotamia throughout the civilization’s existence. Contracts include: Sales and Purchases, Rentals, Labor Contracts, Co-Partnerships, Loans and Mortgages, Bankruptcy, Power of Attorney, Marriage, Divorce, Adoption, and Inheritance. The above power point presentation features the visual component of the lesson. Below, access is to the Harvard Education Program Formatted Lesson Plan, Primary Source Reading Guide, the selection of the Hammurabi Code (Appendix A), Different Laws in Mesopotamia (Appendix B), Mesopotamia Contract Analysis, and the homework assignment.