In 1612, Virginia's governor, Sir Thomas Dale, implemented the Divine, Moral, and Martial Laws that made death the penalty for even minor offenses such as stealing grapes, killing chickens, killing dogs or horses without permission, or trading with Indians.
Now THAT's tough love. :-)
Yeah, I know that the death penalty used to be applied to what would now be considered minor crimes. Some, such as poaching, wouldn't even be felonies.
In Britain, the number of capital offenses continually increased until the 1700's when two
hundred and twenty-two crimes were punishable by death. These included stealing from a
house in the amount of forty shillings, stealing from a shop the value of five shillings, robbing
a rabbit warren, cutting down a tree, and counterfeiting tax stamps.
The problem was
However, juries tended not to convict when the penalty was great and the crime was not. Reforms began to take place. In
1823, five laws passed, exempting about a hundred crimes from the death [penalty]. Between
1832 and 1837, many capital offenses were swept away. In 1840, there was a failed attempt to
abolish all capital punishment. Through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, more and
more capital punishments were abolished, not only in Britain, but also all across Europe, until
today only a few European countries retain the death penalty.
In the 18th Century BC, the Code of King Hammurabi of Babylon codified the death penalty for twenty five different crimes, although murder was not one of them.
Now that's interesting.
The 7th Century BC Draconian Code of Athens made death the penalty for every crime committed.
Recidivism was not a problem under this system.
In the 5th Century BC, the Roman Law of the Twelve Tablets codified the death penalty. Again, the death penalty was different for nobility, freemen and slaves and was punishment for crimes such as the publication of libels and insulting songs, the cutting or grazing of crops planted by a farmer, the burning [of] a house or a stack of corn near a house, cheating by a patron of his client, perjury, making disturbances at night in the city, willful murder of a freeman or a parent, or theft by a slave. Death was often cruel and included crucifixion, drowning at sea, burial alive, beating to death, and impalement (often used by Nero).
No wonder the legions fought so hard. Better than going home
In 14th century England,
One could be burned for marrying a Jew.
This would severly reduce the thread population:
The New York colony instituted the so-called Duke's Laws of 1665. This directed the death penalty for denial of the true God |
