Western Civilization

Read Spielvogel (our course textbook) Chapters 1 and 2 and:     

    The “Negative Confession” from the Egyptian Book of the Dead:     

http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/literature/religious/bd125b.html 

    Read from the Code of Hammurabi laws 134-148 and 172-232 at:     

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/ancient/hamframe.asp 

    Read Genesis, chapters 1, 2, and 3 at:     

https://web.archive.org/web/20080915232815/http://etext.lib.virginia.edu:80/toc/modeng/public/KjvGene.html

1. Please assess the geographical conditions that allowed the Mesopotamians and Egyptians to be so successful. What impact did these features have on their culture/civilization?

2. What are two similarities between the religions of ancient Egypt and ancient Mesopotamia? What is one way in which they were different?

3. The Code of Hammurabi has several clearly delineated social classes who have defined rights and duties. What does the Code of Hammurabi tell you about the importance of social class in ancient Babylon? Is there a balance between rights and duties, i.e. those with more rights have more duties, or does the system seem arbitrary or preferential in assigning rights and duties?