SAMPLES FROM THE SHORT ANSWER EXAM 1
The Code Of Hammurabi
3 if anyone accuses someone of a crime before the elders, and does not prove what he has charged, he shall, if it be a capital offense charged, be put to death
22 if one is committing a robbery and is caught, then he shall be put to death
98 if a man stole a sheep of a poor person he shall repay them 10 times the amount the sheep was worth, if a man stole a sheep of a rich person he shall pay 50 times what the sheep was worth, if he can’t pay then he is put to death
195 if a son hits his father then his hand shall be cut off
202 if anyone strikes the body of a man higher in society than he, they shall receive sixty blows with a whip
Source: Primary Source document Hammurabi’s code, translated by L. W. King © 2008 Lillian Goldman Law Library 127 Wall Street, New Haven, CT 06511
SAMPLE OF CORRECT ANSWER
3. Explain how the author’s purpose affects document 2 as a reliable source of evidence.
The author of the document was Hammurabi, and his purpose was to create written laws for Ancient Mesopotamia. The information in this document is reliable because it shows us what the laws of Hammurabi were, in fact they were written in stone.
3. Explain how the author’s purpose affects document 2 as a reliable source of evidence.
The author of the document was Hammurabi, and his purpose was to create written laws for Ancient Mesopotamia. While the information does show bias towards different social classes, it is reliable because it informs us what the laws of Hammurabi were.
SAMPLE ANSWERS FROM THE EXAM THAT LOST SOME POINTS
3. Explain how the author’s purpose affects document 2 as a reliable source of evidence.
Since the author’s purpose is to persuade people, it makes the document an unreliable source of evidence because the author has a bias. The author is persuading people to follow his way of thinking and what he believes is right and wrong. The rule which states “if anyone strikes the body of a man higher in society than he, they shall receive sixty blows with a whip” is bias against people who are low in social class, as they are severely punished for hitting someone higher in social class but not the other way around.
3. Explain how the author’s purpose affects document 2 as a reliable source of evidence.
The author’s purpose of document two, affects the reliability of the source of evidence. You can tell that it’s mostly bias, because most of the rules that the author shows, are treated with physical violence, death, and abuse. The author is trying to show that the rules in early civilizations are more strict than today.
3. Explain how the author’s purpose affects document 2 as a reliable source of evidence.
The author’s purpose affects document 2 as reliable. It affects it because if the author is trying to inform people of the consequences there is a chance that his source was incorrect and now he’s spreading false information.