Has the death penalty in the United States run its course Research Paper

Has the death penalty in the United States run its course - Research Paper Example History of Death Penalty Death penalty law was first established way back in eighteenth century B.C. in the Code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon. In Britain, hanging became the most common method of executing death sentence in the tenth century A.D. However, in the following century, William the conqueror banned all method of capital punishment for any crime. Again, in the sixteenth century some 72,000 people were executed for capital offences like conducting wedding with a Jew, not admitting to a crime, and treason. Since death penalty is a severe form of punishment, the juries did not convict many defendants if the offense was not grave and this called for reforms in the death penalty in Britain. America was influenced mostly by Britain in the methods of death penalty. When the Europeans settled in the newly found land of America, they continued with their practice of capital punishment. In America, the first ever execution that took place was of Captain George Kendall in the Jamesto wn colony of Virginia in 1608. His crime was that he was a spy for Spain. All colonies did not have the same laws of death penalty. The first implementation held in Massachusetts Bay Colony was in 1630 although Capital Laws of New England were not established until years later. Duke’s Laws of 1665 were put into effect in the New York colony and under these laws capital crimes included striking one’s parents or atheism. Attempts to reform the death penalty occurred for the first time in America when Thomas Jefferson initiated a bill to review Virginia's death penalty laws. According to this law crimes that were to be punishable by death penalty were murder and treason. This law was defeated by one vote. In the nineteenth century many states of America brought down the incidence of their capital crimes. Many states like Rhode Island and Wisconsin abolished the death penalty, although most states continued with their practice of capital punishment. Some states increased t he number of offences to be liable to be punished by death penalty, mainly those committed by the slaves. During the civil war, anti slavery movement began more prominent and as such opposition to the death penalty declined. "Progressive Period" of reform began in the twentieth century in America. During the period 1907-17, death penalty was completely withdrawn in six states. Three states kept treason and first-degree murder of a law enforcement official as the only capital crimes. However, this reform did not last for long due to the chaotic atmosphere in America in the wake of the Russian revolution. In addition to that, America participated in World War I and during this period there were severe class conflicts and the socialists became a threat to capitalism. Due to this reason five of the six states which abolished death penalty again established the law of death penalty. In the 1950s, the number of death penalties made a steep drop as many allied nations either abolished or l imited the death penalty. (â€Å"History of the Death Penalty†) Cost of Execution From economic standpoint it is debatable whether death penalty is sufficiently effective for prevention of criminal activities. There are methods that have been proved to be effective for prevention of crime, but resources that are used for the implementation of death penalty are not available for establishing those methods. Costs involved in death penalty cases are much higher

Essay --

This paper aims to answer 2 research questions. For the first question: With the measure of role plays, what refusal strategies would the oversea students adopt more frequently in different interlocutory status? From the data analysis, we can see that the oversea student in the study adopted many different refusal strategies in different interlocutor statuses. The 6 scenarios have similar imposition, which is to refusal an invitation to a party. The changing variables are the distance and power. In this complex contextual situation, the student was able to change her refusal strategies in different situations. She adopted more strategies when she refused a person of a higher social status or distant relations, in order to save the listener’s face. On the other hand, when she refused a person of lower social status or close relations, she would change the refusal strategies and make the conversations more relaxing and casual. One important reason might be that the oversea stude nts are more aware of the social communication skills because they can learn more about the cultural difference and communicative differences in the process of their oversea studies. They must communicate with many foreign teachers and students, and experience culture shock at the same time. As a result, they can be more familiar with the pragmatic features of different strategies. The second question is that: Is there any difference in the refusal strategies between oversea students and other EFL learners in China? There are many researches related to the different refusal strategies between NS and NNS. The previous findings showed that: many NNS preferred to use â€Å"a direct strategy and less differentiated supportive moves†; at the same time, â€Å"40% of NNS prov... ...in comparing with Chinese EFL learners’ refusal strategies, we borrowed findings from other researches because of time limitation, and this may cause the results being different from what it should be. Here are some suggestions for the future study: first, in order to make sure the data are effective, we should invite more oversea students with difference learning experience and language proficiency; second, in a precise study, more social and contextual variables should be taken into consideration, in order to test students’ different reaction and strategies; finally, if we want to compare the oversea students with Chinese EFL students, we should invite both to participate in the research, rather than depending on other studies and research findings. In conclusion, in order to prove or modify the research findings, further researches are still needed in the future.

What Contributes to Our Perceptions of the World?

â€Å"How can cultural experiences shape, impact or influence out perception of the world Being exposed to other cultures and experiences opens our mind to understanding other ways of living. If you are exposed to something different from yours, your perception would change by the way your thought process Is about certain groups of people. Many things affect our point of view of the world positively and negatively, thought I think most of the time It does It negatively. In today's world we see a lot of cultures In one place (states, city, schools, Jobs, etc. But within these places there's discrimination, racism, had other bad things that make us have a differently pollen than others. Brainstorm at least five artifacts that serve as symbols for you, your life. And your culture. What do the objects reveal about you and your culture? A calculator represents my love for math. Math is a part of my family's culture and has become a part of mine. Math is perfect. It challenges the mind. I t has the power to solve real life problems. It explains real observations, and appeals to intuitions most of the time. It produces exact answers.Its abstract, yet purely objective and absolute. Its man-made, yet all the universe is modeled by math. Its incorruptible. It can create art. It can inspire creative thinking, and in that even solving problems is an art of its own. It is the way I think. When asked why I like Mathematics, I realized that it is all down to my personality. Being a composed, explicit person, I enjoy the challenge of questions with difficult to achieve answers. The ‘&' symbol represents the type of music I listen to. ‘&' is the official symbol of the band Of Mice & Men.I sites to metal, rock, screams, or alternative music and the & symbol represents some of each. A book represents my passion for reading. Its about living a thousand lives through the eyes of your protagonist, becoming so involved in their lives, learning the lessons they learn, â₠¬Å"meeting† the most interesting (nearly real) characters that continue to stay with me long after the book is read and back on the shelf. I love picking up a put and immediately being thrown Into a different reality. I view a book as another universe, where I can escape reality, a way to relax myself.A green V In a ricer represents me being vegetarian. I have been vegetarian since I was born and It lust became a part of me. I do not have to stay a vegetarian, but my parents are. So I choose to stay vegetarian. The last symbol that represents me Is a pair of glasses, Since 1st grade I have always been seen as the ‘nerd'. I always has straight AS and the teachers loved me. I am a year ahead of my grade level In math, currently taking pre calculus. This made me more of the ‘nerd' I already was. I also happen to need glasses. What Contributes to Our Perceptions of the World? By Snazzy world? Reception would change by the way your thought process is about certain group s of thought I think most of the time it does it negatively. In today's world we see a lot of cultures in one place (states, city, schools, Jobs, etc. ), but within these places there's discrimination, racism, had other bad things that make us have a differently opinion Brainstorm at least five artifacts that serve as symbols for you, your life, and your A calculator represents my love for math. Math is a part of my family's culture and picking up a put and immediately being thrown into a different reality.

Salem Witch Trials Essay - 876 Words

Salem Witch Trials The Salem Witch Trials was probably considered the darkest time for the New England Colony. This was a mass murder of women and a few men that were supposed witches. All of this started from two little girls and a bacteria in the bread that affected the brain. This all started on January 20,1692 when nine-year-old Elizabeth Parris and eleven-year-old Abigail Williams started to exhibit strange behavior. Blasphemous screaming, Seizures, Trance-like states and Mysterious spells. After this was noticed other young girls from around Salem began acting the same way. By February No one was able to find any physical causes that could explain why this was happening. So when no physical ailment was determined the†¦show more content†¦Accusations spread far and wide among the town. Interesting enough most that were denounced from witchcraft were those women whose behavior or economic circumstances were somewhat disturbing to the social order and conventions of that time. Most of the accused were already with a criminal record that included witchcraft, but others were faithful churchgoers and people that were high in the standings of the community. The witch-hunt brought many people in accused of witchcraft. Martha Corey, Rebecca Nurse, Elizabeth Proctor, Sarah Cloyce and others high in the Salem community were examined. Nurse and Nehemiah Abbott were the only ones that were denounced as witches. John Proctor was the first of many males accused of witchcraft and none of the males were ever denounced. On May 10 Sarah Osborne Dies in a Boston Prison still accused of witchcraft. Mary Easty, who was accused of witchcraft in the early stages of the witch-hunt was released from prison only to be put back in when public outcry from here accusers. Two months after the witch-hunt began an official trial began. Those appointed were Lt. Governor William Stoughton, Nathaniel Saltonwall, Bartholomew Gedeny, Peter Sergeant, Samuel Sewall, Wait Still Winthrop, John Richards, John Hathorne, and Jonathan Corwin. Under the control of Governor Sir William Phips, this Court of Oyer and Terminer, as he called it put to trial all witches in the Salem area denounced or not. WhenShow MoreRelatedSalem Witch Trials And The Witch Trial1494 Words   |  6 PagesFirst of all, I wanted to talk about what Salem Witch Trial is and who are the persons involve in this event. Salem Witch Trials, according to Encyclopedia Britannica is â€Å"A series of investigations and persecutions that caused 19 convicted â€Å"witches† to be hanged and many other many suspects to be imprisoned in Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.† There are many people involve in Salem Witch Trials and I’ll be going to describe their role in this e vent, followed by the different case studiesRead MoreSalem Witch Trials And The Witch Trial Essay2225 Words   |  9 Pagesaccused of witchcraft in Salem Village, Massachusetts, many more died in jail, and around 200 people total were accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials. Records from the event indicate that the Salem Witch Trials started when a group of young girls began acting strange, claiming they had been possessed by the Devil and bewitched by local villagers. The Salem Witch Trials is a much debated event; historians argue over the motivation and causes behind the trials and executions, not overRead MoreThe Trial Of The Salem Witch Trials905 Words   |  4 PagesI. Introduction In January 1692, when a group of juvenile girls began to display bizarre behavior, the tight-knit Puritan community of Salem, Massachusetts couldn’t explain the unusual afflictions and came to a conclusion. Witches had invaded Salem. This was the beginning of a period of mass hysteria known as The Salem Witch Trials. Hundreds of people were falsely accused of witchcraft and many paid the ultimate price of death. Nineteen people were hung, one was pressed to death, and as many asRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials691 Words   |  3 Pageswere the Salem Witch Trials? The Trials happened in 1692 in Puritan Massachusetts, in a town called Salem. Nineteen men and women were hanged on grounds of practicing dark magic and making a pact with Satan (in other words, for being witches). Hundreds of people were imprisoned; several died there. Additionally, one man (of over seventy years!) was crushed to death with heavy stones and the lives of many were irrevocably changed. (Salem Witch Museum) IQ #2- How and why did the Salem WitchRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials1202 Words   |  5 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials were a prime part of American history during the early 17th century. During this time, religion was the prime focus and way of life within colonies. This was especially true for the Puritan way of life. Puritans first came to America in hopes of practicing Christianity their own way, to the purest form. The Puritans were fundamentalists who believed every word transcribed in the Bible by God was to be followed exactly for what it was. The idea of the devil controlling a womanRead MoreThe Trials Of The Salem Witch Trials1866 Words   |  8 Pagessurrounding the cause of the Salem Witch Trials 1692 makes the topic captivating as many historian perspectives offer explanations for the causation of the trials, yet the personal context of each historian has determined its historic reliability. This questions the level of objectivity each historian has in their responses to the Trials. The aims and purposes of a historian, as well as their differing methodologies may alter the approach the have towards the investigation of the Trials. Many interpretationsRead MoreThe Trials Of Salem Witch Trials Essay1267 Words   |  6 PagesThe notorious witch trials in Salem began in Spring of 1692. This started after a young group of girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, professed they were possessed by the devil. These young girls even went as far as accusing some local women of practicing witchcraft. As a frenzy spreaded throughout colonial Massachusetts, a specific court was summoned to hear cases. Bridget Bishop was the first convicted witch and she was hung in that June following her trial. Eighteen other people followed BishopRead MoreThe Trials Of Salem Witch Trials1069 Words   |  5 PagesEven though the Salem witch trials were made to seem formal, they were actually subjective and not based on fact. Since there were multiple people being accused of witchcraft, the trials were short and quick to sentence. The witch trials lasted less than a year. The first arrests were made on March 1, 1692, and the final hanging day was September 22, 1692. The Court of Oyer and Terminer was dissolved in October of 1692. The Salem Witch Trials occurred in the spring of 1692, when a groupRead MoreThe Trials Of The Salem Witch Trials1635 Words   |  7 Pagesovercome was the Salem Witch Trials. The Salem Witch Trials occurred in 1692 and 1693 in colonial Massachusetts. â€Å"More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft – the Devil’s magic – and 20 were executed† as detailed by Jess Blumberg on the web article A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials (Blumberg 2007). The trials had a major impact on the American society and the effects could be seen in colonial America as well as today. Why did the injustice of the Salam Witch Trials occur and whyRead MoreThe Trials Of The Salem Witch Trials2197 Words   |  9 Pagesestablish colonies based on the word of God. Salem, like many other towns at the time, had little distinction between church and state and focused all aspects of their society on God. (Roach) Due to these conditions, Salem became the site of the largest and most violent witch hunts in America. The significance of the trials comes from the large impact they had on American law. The conditions before, during, and after the Salem Trials were unlike the witch hunts in any other colonies in the New World