impalement, crucifixion, drinking poison, stoning, throwing the criminal from a rock, sawing asunder, use of a quagmire, drawn and quartered, and pressing. The means of execution tended to be different for nobility versus freeman and slaves. Some cultures gave the sentence of the death penalty for every crime convicted, while others picked only certain crimes that would allow for the death penalty (Reggio, 1999). "The most notorious death execution in BC was about 399 BC when the Greek philosopher Socrates was required to drink poison for heresy and corruption of youth" (Reggio, 1999, para. 2). Britain has a long history of capital punishment and was a big influence than any other country on the colonies for sentencing the death penalty (Reggio, 1999)
             From Michael Reggio's research:
             In Britain, the number of capital offenses continually increased until the 1700's when two hundred and twenty-two crimes were punishable by death. These included stealing from a house in the amount of forty shillings, stealing from a shop the value of five shillings, robbing a rabbit warren, cutting down a tree, and counterfeiting tax stamps. However, juries tended not to convict when the penalty was great and the crime was not. Reforms began to take place. In 1823, five laws passed, exempting about a hundred crimes from the death [penalty]. Between 1832 and 1837, many capital offenses were swept away. In 1840, there was a
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