Post #1 1/27/09 17th Century Capital Punishment

1/27/09

During the 17th century, there were several execution methods being employed at the time. However, according to About Punishments for Witches in Salem, an online article, “Hanging was a common form of capital punishment in the 17th century, both in America and abroad.” This particular method has been popularized in our modern world through the use of film, literature, art, and other forms of media. There even exists a common word game by the same name. However, this early form of capital punishment was by no means an enjoyable experience. Aside from the well-known breaking of the neck, which may or may not kill the victim, hanging may also induce several symptoms before the death including closure of the carotid arteries (resulting in a loss of blood flow to the brain), closure of the jugular veins, and induction of carotid reflex (resulting in terminal cardiac arrest) (taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanging).

For more information, please refer to the following sites: http://www.ehow.com/about_4570612_punishments-witches-salem.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanging