Hammurabi was an ancient Babylonian king. He did something that no one had ever done before. The Sumerians had created the first written language, cuneiform. Using this written language, Hammurabi created the first written set of laws.  In Hammurabi's court, it did not matter if you were rich or poor. If you broke the law, and were found guilty, you would be punished.  Since the laws were clearly written down, everyone was expected to obey them. Hammurabi's Code: You Be the Judge Hammurabi's Code of Laws (Translated by Yale Law School) Free presentations in PowerPoint format  To learn more about Ancient Mesopotamia, click on Gilgamesh