Three Milestone Executions in American History
For the most part, early American settlers came from countries where public executions were commonplace. Through the 18th century, public executions in England and Europe had an almost carnival feel to them. Street performers would entertain families while vendors offered various souvenirs to the crowds. There was a bustling business around executions, and crowds could buy everything from pies and sweets to cuttings of the execution rope — or so vendors would claim.
As a result, colonists in the United States handled executions in a similar fashion. Public executions were seen as a way to show off the might of local law enforcement while providing a graphic — and sometimes gruesome — deterrent to crime. Long after America declared its independence from England, public executions remained popular with the public.
Today, executions happen behind closed doors and with an audience by invitation only. Still, executions continue to draw crowds and they still attract those looking to make a quick buck.
Countries like France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom all banned capital punishment by the 1990s. There have been several movements in the United…
