History of the Death Penalty

1. The first person to be sentenced to death in America was in 1608.

2. In 1612, the death penalty was used on people who committed small crimes, such as stealing food.

3. In colonial times, hangings were used as a public form of entertainment. When someone was to be hung, families gathered together and even brough food to witness it.

4. Adultery used to be punishable by death.

5. In 1767, attempts to abolish the death penalty were started.

6. Thomas Jefferson tried to change the law so that only murder and treason recieved the death penalty.

7. In 1834, New York and Pennsylvania abolished public executions.

8. In 1853, Wisconsin was the first state to completely abolished the death penalty completely.

9. From 1920-1940, criminologists followed the belief that the death penalty is necessary to keep society together.

10. After 1950, most of Europe abolished the death penalty.