First Death Penalty LawsIn 1700 BC, the first death penalty laws were documented. During this time there were only 25 crimes punishable by death. However, as time went on the death penalty became more prominent. In the seventh century B.C. Draconian Code of Athens it became a rule that all crimes were to be punished by death, with no exceptions. From murder to petty theft it resulted the same for all. Luckily throughout the following years there became a deeper variation in results for crimes. Although people were persecuted for crimes that our current society would never dream about, there was more leniency in the law. During the sixteenth century crimes that were punishable by death included marrying a Jewish person or not admitting to committing a crime, no matter how minor. The execution style at this time were also much more severe than we experience now. Some examples of this would be boiling, being burnt at the stake, and drowning. This artifact is from an article from the Death Penalty Information Center.
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First Death Penalty in the U.S.In 1790 the first death penalty was committed in the United States under the federal law. Fifteen years prior to this event it was established that all thirteen of the original colonies had adopted the death penalty. It had carried with them from England when they originally migrated to the New World. Although not yet under the control of a federal system, each individual colony had come to the agreement of allowing this as a form of punishment. In 1787 when the U.S. constitution was passed, the Bill of Rights, placing emphasis on the 5th amendment, paved the way to a binding legal agreement on the death penalty. After three short years Congress publicized which crimes would result in death and reestablished the federal death penalty as a punishment for capital crime. Less than two months after Congress announced this, the first execution occurred in the U.S.. This article can be found on the Victoria Advocate website which gave readers an informational timeline of the death penalty.
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"Sometimes tens of thousands of eager viewers would show up to view hangings; local merchants would sell souvenirs and alcohol. Fighting and pushing would often break out as people jockeyed for the best view of the hanging or the corpse!"
-Michael F. Reggio
This quote was found in a Frontline article which discussed the controversy over public executions. It shows readers the shocking truth behind public executions and the harsh realities that those facing death had to endure.
Controversy Over Public Executions |
Last Public Execution |
As time progressed, a public execution because a casual form of entertainment. Gathering crowds of thousands of people and offering souvenirs for purchase, they began to dehumanize the event. The previously popular event emerged into a disgraceful gathering. The large attraction these events had lead to outbreaks of fighting and screaming. From 1833-1853 reform occurred as many states began to outlaw public hangings. By 1849 fifteen states had already outlawed all public executions. This lead to an uproar of controversy as many people voiced their opinion on the switch to private executions. Those who opposed this new law were concerned that this would eventually lead to the total demise of executions. These beliefs came true when Michigan became the first state to abolish executions in 1846. Since then 19 states have banned the death penalty in the U.S.. The artifact above can be found in the Frontline article written by Michael F. Reggio.
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After many years of argument on the morality of public executions, it was finally settled in 1936. Rainey Bethea's execution attracted hundreds of photographers, reporters, and viewers after she committed murder and rape. Knowing that it was the final execution people traveled as far as New York to a small town in Kentucky where the hanging occurred. Although this prevented any major gathering for future executions, with new technology there were still ways to publicize them. In 2001 Timothy McVeigh's death was shown on closed-circuit television. Those who were able to view it had the ability to flash back in time and first hand view the end of his life. Although it was only the survivors and family of the victims who were able to see this event, over one thousand reporters covered the execution. This was found in an article by NPR on the final public execution occurring in the United States.
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"Every bar was packed to the doors. Down the main street tipsy merrymakers rollicked all night. 'Hanging parties' were held in many a home,"
-Time Magazine
This quote was found in a New Haven Register newspaper article. It allows readers to experience a deeper level of imagery when the topic of the final execution occurred.