Crime And Punishment In Colonial America

Words: 501
Pages: 3
Open Document
The law, crime, and punishment was very harsh throughout Colonial America, yet held the colonies together. The law, crime, and punishment was strict, but it was efficient and important throughout the years. Since the punishment was so harsh, people would know not to disobey the laws or commit crimes. The law in Colonial America was not as organized before the Declaration of Independence was made in 1776. Before the Declaration of Independence, there was the English common law which came from the English. Most of the laws were basic. For example, one has to go to church, no theft, no abuse, etc. Laws varied in each colony. Not only were there different laws in each, there were more strict about certain laws depending on the colony. …show more content…
Almost all of the crimes ended in some form of death. Even smaller crimes like forgery or plagiarism ended in death. Some of these punishments were burning, drowning, whipping, and branding. Public hangings and executions were not as common as those. Men committed crimes much more than women, but when women committed crimes they were usually drowned in a pond while being tied to a estick. Since slavery in the colonies was so grating, slaves were given the worst punishments for trying to escape or disobeying. In Colonial America jails were only used as holding cells. For instance, after a criminal was caught they would be sent to the jail to stay there while the court trial was going on. After the trial, the criminal was either punished or sent free. Punishment was extremely strict and harsh through the colonial era, but is arguably better than having it the other way around. The laws, crime system, and punishments throughout Colonial American era was a significant centerpiece for the colonies. The law system was significant, the crime was dealt with very well, and the punishments were very grating yet worked. All of these are connected in a way that helped keep the colonies settled; the law was made so the crime was not often, and the punishments would make the criminals not want to disobey the laws. Overall, the law, crime, and punishment was efficient and prime throughout the
Show More

Related Documents: Crime And Punishment In Colonial America

History of Prisons in US Essay

correctional institutions in America have taken on many forms. In the paper, I will explain the history of prisons, and compare and contrast the various prison systems this country has seen over the centuries. Imprisonment as a form of criminal punishment became a common practice in the United States shortly before the American Revolutionary war. Before the advent of prisons, people convicted of crimes were subject to public humiliation, hard labor, and other cruel and unusual punishments; or forced into indentured…

Words 668 - Pages 3

Colonial Research Paper

Michael Hermo 10/15/13 Colonial Research Paper In the 13 colonies, the crime and crimes’ punishment was very different from today. The 13 colonies had 3 regions, New England, Middle, and Southern. Religious practices in each region differed greatly. Some religions were more strict then others, and it showed in the way they made laws and wished for people to obey them. The churches reach extended beyond their congregation and into the government of the colony itself. The reason why the justice…

Words 767 - Pages 4

Capital Punishment Essay

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN AMERICA The history of the death penalty is long and varied. Since human ethics and moral values are constantly evolving, so have our views on punishment and the death penalty. All we know about punishment and retribution has been passed down to us through common law. Capital punishment passed into the American justice system through English Common Laws. Crime and punishment played an important role in the settlements of Colonial America. “Two of the most important buildings…

Words 1860 - Pages 8

Scarlet Letter Theocracy Essay

theocracy in the United States? Colonial Massachusetts is a great example of this. The Puritans used their religious principles to create a new colony in America. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic novel, The Scarlet Letter, the cloth scarlet “A” that Hester Prynne is condemned to wear on her chest to display her sin is a reflection of the strict Puritan standards and beliefs in colonial Boston. Religion was the driving force behind Hester’s actions and punishments because Puritan beliefs ruled the…

Words 882 - Pages 4

Reasons For Colonialism In Colonial America

required leading to other household industries. Colonial work also included making furniture and also producing timber used to build houses. Other household industries included making alcohol such as beer, whiskey and rum. These household industries emerged as mills and distilleries were built and the alcohol and textile industries were developed. All of these provided more colonial work and jobs requiring even more labor in the colonies. Colonial America women helped with the planting and harvesting…

Words 976 - Pages 4

View Capital Punishment Essay

Capital Punishment Capital punishment, or commonly referred to as the death penalty, is a very serious and tough is issue to debate, but it is extremely relevant in our current society. Capital punishment commonly defined as the practice of executing someone as punishment for a specific crime after a proper legal trial. Capital punishment has a long and ever expanding history in the world, and as a result, it has given way to a multitude of variations, which in their own respect, have given way…

Words 2473 - Pages 10

Death Penalty Essay

Death Penalty Since our nation's founding, colonial, federal and state governments have punished murder and, until recent years, rape with the ultimate sanction: the death penalty. There are murders everyday across America, which is the problem, the death penalty was first commonly used to kill murderers and by doing so, the goal was to deter future murders. Has it worked? The death penalty dates back as far as the 17th Century. The first laws that were made regarding the death penalty did…

Words 737 - Pages 3

Essay about Classical Theory and Its Effects on Criminal Justice Policy

Classical Theory Classical Theory and its Effects on Criminal Justice Policy With the exception of probation, imprisonment has been the main form of punishment for serious offenders in the United States for over 200 years. Americans can be said to have invented modern incarceration as a means of criminal punishment. Although Europe provided precedents, theoretical justifications, and even architectural plans for imprisoning offenders, Americans developed the blueprints for the typical prisons…

Words 1440 - Pages 6

The US Constitution: Individual Liberties

Meaning, the jail cannot have held the accused for months awaiting trial, it would be excessive for those who are innocent from the accused crimes after proven not guilty in the courts. This section in the 6th amendment provides critical economical support for the individual who is going to trial. Also, the accused are given the right to face those who accuse them. However, this issue here is…

Words 1026 - Pages 5

Nancy Reagan's Argument Against The Death Penalty

penalty has been a form of justice throughout history, including in colonial America, where figures like Jefferson, Rush, and Bradford influenced its reform. In the 19th century, some U.S. states reduced capital crimes and moved executions to prisons, with Pennsylvania leading in 1834, followed by Michigan's abolition of the death penalty for all crimes except treason in 1846. Despite these reforms, many states retained capital punishment, expanding its use. By 1963, mandatory death sentences had been…

Words 1021 - Pages 5