Which statement best describes a feature of Hammurabi's code?

Which statement best describes a feature of Hammurabi's code?

• A. Punishments varied depending on social status.
• B. Punishments were equal across social statuses.
• C. The code did not regulate property.
• D. It prohibited capital punishment.

Answer: (A)

Punishments varied depending on social status. Hammurabi’s Code sets different penalties for the same offense depending on the offender’s and often the victim’s social class—noble, free citizen, or slave. This reflects a hierarchical society in which the value of a person’s life or property was tied to status, so the legal consequences are scaled accordingly. The famous “eye for an eye” idea is understood within that framework, where the remedy is not applied equally to everyone but adjusted to social rank and the corresponding value of the harmed party. The code also includes extensive property regulations and does not prohibit capital punishment; in fact, some offenses carried severe penalties including death, which shows that it did regulate crime and punishment in a way that reinforced social order.

Punishments varied depending on social status. Hammurabi’s Code sets different penalties for the same offense depending on the offender’s and often the victim’s social class—noble, free citizen, or slave. This reflects a hierarchical society in which the value of a person’s life or property was tied to status, so the legal consequences are scaled accordingly. The famous “eye for an eye” idea is understood within that framework, where the remedy is not applied equally to everyone but adjusted to social rank and the corresponding value of the harmed party. The code also includes extensive property regulations and does not prohibit capital punishment; in fact, some offenses carried severe penalties including death, which shows that it did regulate crime and punishment in a way that reinforced social order.