Eighth Amendment

8 A P1.jpgEssential questions: What issues prompted the creation of your amendment? What impact did your amendment have on society?

Q: Do states have different opinions on what's cruel and what's not cruel.
A: Yes in 1998, thirty-two states authorized capital punishment. Legal methods of execution in the United States include hanging, shooting, gas chamber, lethal injection (death by a poisoned injection), and electrocution (death by electricity).

Q: What is bail?cruel-and-unusual-thumb.jpg
A:Bail is money that a criminal defendant (a person charged with a crime) pays in order to be freed from jail while awaiting trial.

Q: What is a fine?
A:a fine is a sum of money one party is required to pay to another party as punishment for an offense.

Q: What are the conditions of the judge?
A:1.remain crime-free before trial;
2.stay within the court’s jurisdiction (area of authority);
3.avoid contact with victims or witnesses; V
4.comply with a curfew; and

5.refrain (hold back) from using alcohol or drugs

Q: Which states ratified it?
A: The who ratified the amendment were New Jersey, November 20, 1789; Maryland, December 19, 1789; North Carolina, December 22, 1789; South Carolina January 19, 1790; New Hampshire, January 25, 1790; Delaware, January 28, 1790; New York, February 24, 1790; Pennsylvania, March 10, 1790; Rhode Island, June 7, 1790; Vermont, November 3, 1791; Virginia, December 15, 1791 (amendment adopted).

Q: What were some of the punishments before this amendments?
A: Some of the punishments were
authorities cut off a man’s arms and legs and removed his inner organs while he was still alive); branding (burning with a hot iron); whipping; and cutting off body parts (such as ears or fingers).
Q:Does this amendment protect children in schools?
A:No the Court has allowed government entities to continue one mild form of corporal punishment. In Ingraham v. Wright (1977), the Supreme Court ruled that the Eighth Amendment does not ban public schools from using physical punishment to discipline children.
Q: Does everyone get bail?
A: No people that have committed capital crimes cannot do bail.
Q:Does race play a role in who lives and who dies.
A:Yes many studies continue to show that race plays a role in who lives and dies.
Q: Do people ever stop the death penalty.
A: Yes many defendants were released from death row, some within a month or week of their scheduled execution. Many of these defendants were released after DNA testing conclusively showed they could not have been the perpetrator of the crime for which they were convicted.

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Click Here to watch amazing videos, websites, and articles on this topic!
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Law and Punishment - TeacherTube
http://content.time.com/time/video/player/0,32068,1026395306001_2080302,00.html
http://ic.gale.swb.orc.scoolaid.net/ic/suic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=SUIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&display-query=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Reference&limiter=&u=nysl_me_eastches&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&source=&search_within_results=&p=SUIC&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CCX2639900008
http://www.britannica.com/topic/Eighth-Amendment
http://kids.laws.com/eighth-amendment

What prompted the creation of your amendment?
The things that mostly prompted the creation of my amendment are the harsh and cruel punishments people would suffer before the amendment was made. People of the United States began to realize how wrong these punishments really were. Another thing that prompted the creation of my amendment was people wanted for the punishment to fit the crime. People also wanted a civilized one in which did not torture someone for simply stealing. These reasons weren’t the only reason the 8th amendment was created but they were the biggest reasons. Some minor were because people didn't want to be fined or not have the option of bail. Without this amendment America wouldn't be a civil country now. SL

How did the your amendment impact society at the time?
First of all, the 8th Amendment was a part of the Bill of Rights, which are the initial 10 Amendments. Now there is be no more bad punishment and no one will have to feel the wrath of the British’s horrible punishments ever again. When people are caught doing something bad, they have to worry less about bad and unfair punishments. The death penalty effected the society a lot because people believed that we should have a death penalty. States have different laws on the death penalty, some allow the death penalty and some don't. With bail not being a significant factor, people are less worried. Also, it made it more convenient for the people of this country because excessive bail is not required. In conclusion, this amendment made us forget about the British’s painful rule and take a step forward in time. SS

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Current Event

Essential Question: How does the past effect the Present.
Article: My Article I found is about a man named Dennis McGuire who was convicted of murder.
http://ncronline.org/news/politics/supreme-court-execution-drug-does-not-violate-eighth-amendment
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/cruel-and-unusual-punishment#49730