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The Influence Of The Death Penalty On America

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The Influence Of The Death Penalty On America
America was greatly influenced by Great Britain to use the death penalty, capital punishment was brought by the Europeans who came into the New World, which made the execution of Captain George Kendall in Jamestown, Virginia in 1608 for being a spy for Spain, to be the first recorded execution. The Virginian Governor, Sir Thomas Dale, imposed the Divine, Moral and Martial Laws in 1612, in which the death penalty, was given for even the most minor offenses.
Michigan, was the first state to abolish the death penalty in 1846 for all crimes except treason. Following Michigan, Rhode Island and Wisconsin abolished it for all crimes. The death penalty now, is legal in 31 states. The U.S is ranked #5 for the highest number of executions, it is behind
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