1. Hammurabi’s Code Hammurabi set up a system of justice with written laws, known as Hammurabi’s Code. These laws defined punishments for crimes and rules for various transactions and behaviors. Punishments for the same crime could vary depending on the social class of the victim. 1 of 3 The Fertile Crescent Section 3: The Legacy of Mesopotamia

2. The Art of Writing Sumerians developed a system of writing around 3100 B.C. that involved scratching symbols into wet clay tablets to represent various objects. These evolved into cuneiform, a type of writing by pressing wedge shapes into clay that was used for several languages. The earliest records involved farm animals. Later, they recorded not only sales and trades, but events, plans, and stories. 2 of 3 The Fertile Crescent Section 3: The Legacy of Mesopotamia Section Reading Support Transparency

3. The Fertile Crescent: Section 3 Section Reading Support Transparency 3 of 3