Capital History
The first established death penalty laws date as far back as the Eighteenth Century B.C. Where was this?
In the Code of King Hammurabi of Babylon, which codified the death penalty for 25 different crimes.
What has the church done to get rid of capital punishment?
On October 3, 2020, Pope Francis issued a new encyclical entitled Fratelli Tutti (“All Brothers”), which ratified the position of the Catholic Church against the death penalty and called upon all Catholics to advocate for the abolition of the death penalty worldwide.
Electrocution is a form of execution used in only one country. What is that Country?
The United States.
What is Capital Punishment?
The execution of an offender sentenced to death after conviction by a court of law of a criminal offense.
When the United States consisted of British colonies, it modeled its death penalty on England’s system. Does Britain still use the death penalty like we do?
In 1998, Great Britain abolished the death penalty for all crimes, but the United States still uses capital punishment.
Who was the first person in the U.S. to die from capital punishment?
William Kemmler August 6, 1890 (aged 30) Auburn, New York
Why is the catholic church against the death penalty?
Because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person.
Lethal injection is the most popular form of Execution today. Name a country that use's lethal injection other than the U.S.
China, Vietnam
How much of the U.S. favors the death penalty for a person convicted of murder?
60% of US adults favor the death penalty for those convicted of murder
Execution by firing squad is another method of execution used in 7 countries. Name one of those countries.
China, Indonesia, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Taiwan, Yemen
Thirteen federal death row inmates have been executed since federal executions resumed in July 2020. Who was the last person to die on death row?
The last and most recent federal execution was of Dustin Higgs, who was executed on January 16, 2021.
On August 2, 2018, the Vatican announced that it had formally changed the official Catechism of the Catholic Church on the death penalty. What did they say?
They called capital punishment “an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person” and deeming it “inadmissible” in all cases.
Hanging is a popular form of execution around the world and is still used today. Name one of the 14 countries that use it.
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Botswana, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nigeria, Palestinian Authority (Hamas authorities, Gaza), South Sudan, Sudan
Countries have been gradually abolishing the death penalty for many years. Between 1991 and 2017, the number of countries that formally abolished capital punishment grew from 48 to what?
106 countries
A historic form of execution is beheading, which is usually carried out in public using a sword, usually in a town square or close to a prison. What country uses this method of execution?
Saudia Arabia