Among the first people to be executed were the so-called witches within the colonies. These executions became known as the Salem Witch trials. When the trials between May and October 1692 were over, there were about twenty people that were sentenced to die. According to the English law many offenses were punishable by death. Most included property crimes and such other non-violent crimes. Robbery, extortion, arson and pick pocketing were all punishable by death. In Massachusetts there were only thirteen crimes punishable by death which include; cursing, adultery, lying under oath, praying to idols, etc. Throughout the colonies Ohio, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New York kept the death penalty while in others they opposed and abolished the law. Michigan was the first state to do away with capital punishment. After that the states followed although Maine teeter tottered until 1887, when the law was abolished. Many years passed and states went back and forth on whether or not to keep......
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