Question 1

Which of the following methods of execution was occasionally utilized in colonial America as late as the 18th century?

Accepted Answer

Drawing and quartering was occasionally utilized in colonial America as late as the 18th century. The other methods listed were not commonly used in colonial America.

Question 2

What was the significance of the "gibbet" in colonial America?

Accepted Answer

In colonial America, the gibbet was an "enhancement" to an execution, meaning that the body of the criminal would be hung in public display as a warning to others. It was often used for those convicted of piracy or other serious crimes, and was seen as a deterrent to others who may consider committing similar offenses.

Question 3

Under which of the following conditions is a punishment considered "cruel and unusual"?

Accepted Answer

All of the listed conditions are considered cruel and unusual when it comes to punishment. The Eighth Amendment of the US Constitution prohibits the use of such punishments.

Question 4

In which of the following cases did the Supreme Court abandon its fixed or historical meaning of the concept of "cruel and unusual punishment" and created a new one?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In which of the following cases did...

Question 5

In which of the following cases did the Supreme Court emphasize that "the limits of civilized standards . . . draws its meaning from the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society."

Accepted Answer

The quote "the limits of civilized standards . . . draws its meaning from the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society" is from Trop v. Dulles (1958), in which the Supreme Court invalidated the revocation of citizenship as a punishment for desertion, emphasizing that the Eighth Amendment must be interpreted in light of "the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society."

Question 6

Which of the following does the Supreme Court consider cruel and unusual punishment?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following does the Supreme...

Question 7

Except when executing spies, traitors, and deserters, what was the sole acceptable mode of execution in the United States for a century after the adoption of the Eighth Amendment?

Accepted Answer

Hanging was the sole acceptable mode of execution in the United States for a century after the adoption of the Eighth Amendment, except when it came to executing spies, traitors, and deserters.

Question 8

What percent of all executions performed in the United States since colonial days have been by hanging?

Accepted Answer

According to historical records, approximately 70% of all executions performed in the United States since colonial days have been by hanging. This method of execution was used extensively until the mid-20th century, when it was largely replaced by lethal injection.

Question 9

Who was the first American executed following the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976?

Accepted Answer

Gary Gilmore was the first American to be executed following the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. Dennis McGautha, John Spinkelink, Tony Barefoot, and William Maxwell were all executed after Gary Gilmore.

Question 10

What method was employed to execute the first American following the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What method was employed to execute the...

Question 11

What were the last words uttered by the first American executed following the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976?

Accepted Answer

The last words uttered by the first American executed following the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976 were "Let's do it." They were spoken by Gary Gilmore, who was executed by firing squad in Utah on January 17, 1977.

Question 12

What was the last state to abandon electrocution as its primary method of execution?

Accepted Answer

Nebraska was the last state to abandon electrocution as its primary method of execution in 2008, when the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional.

Question 13

What appellate court in the United States was the first to rule that electrocution violated the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment?

Accepted Answer

In 2001, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that electrocution was cruel and unusual punishment, making it the first appellate court in the United States to do so. The ruling paved the way for other states to reconsider their use of the electric chair as a method of execution. The other options are incorrect as the 4th and 11th U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals have not made rulings regarding electrocution and the U.S. Supreme Court has not specifically ruled on whether electrocution violates the Eighth Amendment.

Question 14

Which of the following states uses electrocution as the sole method of execution?

Accepted Answer

As of my last update, no state in the United States uses electrocution as the sole method of execution. States that still have the electric chair as an option generally offer it as an alternative to lethal injection, rather than as the only method.

Question 15

Between about 1930 and 1972, which of the following execution methods was employed by the majority of states that executed?

Accepted Answer

Between 1930 and 1972, most states that executed used the electric chair as the primary execution method.

Question 16

Who is generally considered the "father of electrocution"?

Accepted Answer

Alfred P. Southwick is generally considered the "father of electrocution" as he was the first person to propose the use of electrical current as a method of humane execution. Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse were both involved in the development and promotion of the electric chair as a means of execution, but they are not credited with the idea itself. Joseph P. Kennedy was not involved in the development of the electric chair or electrocution.

Question 17

Which of the following states was the first to execute by electrocution?

Accepted Answer

New York was the first state to use electrocution as a method of execution in 1890.

Question 18

Who was and when did the first person die in the electric chair?

Accepted Answer

William Kemmler was the first person to be executed by the electric chair on August 6, 1890.

Question 19

Which of the following states was the first to execute by lethal gas?

Accepted Answer

Nevada was the first state to execute by lethal gas, not any of the states listed. This method of execution was first used in 1924.

Question 20

Who and when was the first person executed legally by lethal gas?

Accepted Answer

Gee Jon was executed on February 8, 1924, by lethal gas in Nevada, marking the first legal execution by this method.

Quiz 6: Cruel and Unusual Punishment, Death Row, and Methods of Execution