Final answer:
The statement is false; while the Babylonian Hammurabi Code established important laws for order and some elements of fairness, it did not provide equality before the law, as social status dictated variations in legal treatment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Babylonian Hammurabi Code of Law was indeed a significant step in human progress, but the statement that it established that all are equal before the law is false. While the Code of Hammurabi was an extensive set of written laws that provided order and legal structure, it did not treat all individuals equally. Social status significantly influenced the application of these laws, with clear distinctions made between aristocrats, commoners, and slaves.
Hammurabi’s code detailed rights and obligations for various social classes and included laws that aimed at fairness, such as those that protected people from unfair loan terms and provided redress for damaged property. Despite the code offering legal protections, especially greater rights and protections for women compared to other ancient codes, the hierarchy in social status meant that punishments and rights were not applied uniformly.
This influence of social hierarchy serves as a contrast to modern conceptions of the rule of law, which ideally upholds that all individuals are equal in the eyes of the law.