NAME:

01/14

US History

WRITING WITH EVIDENCE

Writing Assignment: Were people in Mesopotamia
treated equally?

Your answer must begin with a clear argument, and include 3 specific pieces of
evidence from the documents.
You may paraphrase, or quote directly from the text. (Be sure to use quotation marks
to show what you quoted directly.)
You must use transitions. Please avoid using says to introduce evidence. Try one of
the alternative words below instead.

Writing Sample 1
No

because

under

Hammurabis

Code,

people

were

discriminated against based on gender and social class. Different

classes of people received different treatment. People lower in the
social hierarchy had fewer rights than those at the top. If any one
strike the body of a man higher in rank than he, he shall receive
sixty blows with an ox-whip in public. While Hammurabis Code
was an important innovation because it created a standardized set
of laws, the gender and class discrimination it promoted meant
that Mesopotamia was a deeply unequal society.
Writing Sample 2
People in Mesopotamia werent treated equally. Men had more
rights than women, which shows that the gender roles were
different. In addition, Mesopotamia was unfair to women. They
werent allowed as many rights as men. People also had different
rights depending on what class they belonged to. Slaves didnt

have as many rights as free men. For all of these reasons, people
in Mesopotamia were not treated equally.
Writing Sample 3
Inequality was a significant problem in Mesopotamia. Under
Hammurabis Code, people were discriminated against based on
gender and social class. For instance, husbands were allowed to
sell their wives and children to pay off a debt they owed. Wives, on
the other hand, could not sell their husbands. This demonstrates
that men and women were treated unequally under the law.
Furthermore,

different

classes

of

people

received

different

treatment. According to section 202 of the code, If any one strike

the body of a man higher in rank than he, he shall receive sixty
blows with an ox-whip in public. This example demonstrates how
people lower in the social hierarchy had fewer rights than those at
the top. Finally, Hammurabis Code placed unequal value on
human beings themselves. Whereas, a man [who] put out the eye
of another man would have to submit to having his own eye put
out, a man who put out the eye of a slave was only required to
pay one-half of its value. These laws reveal how slaves how
people in slavery were considered property and were entitled to
fewer rights than free people. While Hammurabis Code was an
important innovation because it created a standardized set of
laws, the gender and class discrimination it promoted meant that
Mesopotamia was a deeply unequal society.

Writing Rubric: Writing Sample #1

1: Below Standard
Articulates a main idea that
is supported by unclear
reasons, and/or vague
evidence.

1: Below Standard
Presents unclear reasons, or
reasons that do not clearly
connect to the argument.
Lack of transitions means
logical flow is disorganized
and difficult to follow.

1: Below Standard
Examples mentioned are
vague/ does not mention
specific examples.

Argument
2: Meeting Standard

3: Exceeding Standard
Articulates a clear main idea
Articulates a clear main idea
that is supported with
that is supported with
multiple logical reasons,
logical reasons and specific
and multiple pieces of
evidence.
specific evidence.
Organization / Logical Flow
2: Meeting Standard
Presents logical reasons
that clearly support the
argument, and connect to
evidence. Uses transitions
so that argument follows a
clear logical flow.
Use of Historical Evidence
2: Meeting Standard
Cites specific examples to
support argument.

3: Exceeding Standard
Presents logical reasons
that clearly support the
argument, and connect to
multiple pieces of evidence.
Uses transitions so that
writing follows a clear
logical flow.

3: Exceeding Standard
Cites multiple specific
examples to support
argument.

Total Score: _______/9 points

Writing Rubric: Writing Sample #2
1: Below Standard
Articulates a main idea that
is supported by unclear
reasons, and/or vague
evidence.

1: Below Standard

Argument
2: Meeting Standard

3: Exceeding Standard
Articulates a clear main idea
Articulates a clear main idea
that is supported with
that is supported with
multiple logical reasons,
logical reasons and specific
and multiple pieces of
evidence.
specific evidence.
Organization / Logical Flow
2: Meeting Standard

3: Exceeding Standard
Presents logical reasons
that clearly support the
argument, and connect to
multiple pieces of evidence.
Uses transitions so that
writing follows a clear
logical flow.

Presents unclear reasons, or

reasons that do not clearly
connect to the argument.
Lack of transitions means
logical flow is disorganized
and difficult to follow.

Presents logical reasons

that clearly support the
argument, and connect to
evidence. Uses transitions
so that argument follows a
clear logical flow.

1: Below Standard
Examples mentioned are
vague/ does not mention

Use of Historical Evidence

2: Meeting Standard
3: Exceeding Standard
Cites specific examples to
Cites multiple specific
support argument.
examples to support

specific examples.

argument.

Total Score: _______/9 points

Writing Rubric: Writing Sample #3
1: Below Standard
Articulates a main idea that
is supported by unclear
reasons, and/or vague
evidence.

1: Below Standard
Presents unclear reasons, or
reasons that do not clearly
connect to the argument.
Lack of transitions means
logical flow is disorganized
and difficult to follow.

1: Below Standard
Examples mentioned are
vague/ does not mention
specific examples.

Argument
2: Meeting Standard

3: Exceeding Standard
Articulates a clear main idea
Articulates a clear main idea
that is supported with
that is supported with
multiple logical reasons,
logical reasons and specific
and multiple pieces of
evidence.
specific evidence.
Organization / Logical Flow
2: Meeting Standard
Presents logical reasons
that clearly support the
argument, and connect to
evidence. Uses transitions
so that argument follows a
clear logical flow.
Use of Historical Evidence
2: Meeting Standard
Cites specific examples to
support argument.

3: Exceeding Standard
Presents logical reasons
that clearly support the
argument, and connect to
multiple pieces of evidence.
Uses transitions so that
writing follows a clear
logical flow.

3: Exceeding Standard
Cites multiple specific
examples to support
argument.

Total Score: _______/9 points