Early Capital Punishment

The first recorded laws concerning the death penalty were established in Babylon in the early 18th century under King Hammurabi. The Code of Hammurabi was extremely strict and covered approximately 25 different crimes. It later spread to Athens, Greece, and authorized death as the only punishment. Some early methods of execution included crucifixion, drowning, beatings, burning, and impalement (pierce with a sharpened stake). As time passed, the execution method became more advanced and complex. In 10th century Britain, hanging became the usual method.  Later on William the Conquerer banned hanging unless it pertained to war.  This didn't last very long and hanging came back into society when Henry VIII came into power.  It's estimated that around 72,000 people were executed during his reign. Britain's death penalty greatly influenced in the United States, with first execution of George Kendall for being accused of being a spy for Spain. The States continued to use the death penalty for small marginal misdemeanors like stealing grapes and killing chickens. The first attempt to repeal the death penalty was by Thomas Jefferson when he introduced a bill trying to rid the death penalty in Virgina.  In the world today there are 95 countries that have abolished the death penalty and atleast 35 countries haven't used the death penalty in 10 years. The deathly penalty is mostly carried out in poor, underdeveloped, and authoritarian countries.