History of Capital Punishment

By hadams21
  • 1800 BCE

    Official laws of Capital Punishment

    The first established death penalty laws.

  • Executions reach highest level

    The act reaches its highest level in American History with an average of 167 per year.

  • Furman vs. Georgia

    U.S. Supreme Court case which invalidated all of the legal constructions for the death penalty in the United States at the time.

  • Gregg vs. Georgia

    U.S. Supreme Court case that ruled to reinstate the death penalty.

  • Ford vs. Wainwright

    U.S. Supreme Court case that banned the execution of mentally unstable individuals.

  • First state to abolish Capital Punishment

    The New Jersey General Assembly votes to become the first state to legislatively abolish capital punishment since it was re-instated in 1976.
  • Period: to

    New Mexico and Illinois repeal death penalty

    Governor Bill Richardson of NM and Governor Pat Quinn of IL both sign legislation to repeal the death penalty and replace it with life without parole.