Argumentative Essay On The Death Penalty

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For a long period of time has the cruel retribution for capital crimes existed. It has led to being one of the most controversial topics of the United States and throughout the world. It has also brought on much judgment from the public eye and created different opinions on what people believe is wrong and right. Many have felt that the death penalty is the perfect way to get rid of the criminals that have committed heinous crimes, and although it might be easier to rid the world of such a person, it is not in any ones power to decide who gets to live and who does not. For ages now, the death penalty has been around. It goes as far back as the Eighteenth Century B.C. in the Code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon, which allowed the death penalty …show more content…

European settlers came to the new world and brought along capital punishment.” The first recorded execution in the new colonies was that of Captain George Kendall in the Jamestown colony of Virginia in 1608. It is said that the reason behind his execution was because he was a spy for Spain and was hanged for treason.” (History of the Death Penalty) After bring introduced to capital punishment, many states took it to themselves to start punishing people for all types of crimes that the English had established and along the way also added crimes that they deemed worthy enough to be held as capital offenses. After the spread and start of capital punishment, the start of the abolitionist movement began. “In 1767, Cesare Beccaria wrote an essay, “On Crimes and Punishment,” that had a major impact throughout the world. Beccaria’s essay he theorized that there was no justification for the state’s taking of a life”. (History of the Death Penalty) There was no reason for any form of torture and no reason to take this form of action. He believed that first there needed to be a change in the justice system. The only way there could be punishment was if they made sure to defend the social contract and that everyone abides by

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