Final answer:
The Code of Hammurabi is a fundamental historical legal document that established principles like the presumption of innocence and the need for evidence, with laws covering a range of civil interactions and penalties based on social status.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of the origins of laws, a true statement about the Code of Hammurabi is that it is one of the most significant early systems of law, dating back to about 1780 BCE. The Code of Hammurabi established legal principles that have influenced modern law, such as the presumption of innocence and the requirement for evidence.
It aimed to ensure fairness and justice, providing protections for the weak against the strong and setting out laws that varied depending on social class and status.
The Code of Hammurabi is known for introducing the 'lex talionis' or 'an eye for an eye' principle, emphasizing that punishment should be equal to the crime, although penalties often vary based on the perpetrator's social status. For example, it drew distinctions between free men, commoners, and slaves, with different consequences for the same crimes among these groups.
Furthermore, while women had a secondary legal status to men, the Code afforded them certain rights and protections ahead of their time.
In essence, King Hammurabi's law code was a comprehensive set of rules that aimed to maintain social order and provide justice within the Babylonian empire, with an underlying intent stated as to 'bring about the rule of righteousness in the land.'