S Vadrevu 1 Comprehension Exercise Capital Punishment

S Vadrevu 2 Question 1 What is the ‘contradiction’ that arose with the use of the death penalty? [2] Everyone agreed that the death penalty could stop the number of crimes from increasing [1] Yet it was not uniformly applied in all the colonies to all crimes [1] NOTE: The element of contradiction is very important, with the use of words like ‘although’, ‘while’ and ‘but’. NOTE: Contradiction means 2 opposing ideas. NOTE: wrong answer- “It was useful”, because it was only thought to be useful.

S Vadrevu 3 Question 2 Beccaria ‘defied the trend at that time’ (line 11). What was this trend? [1] The trend was to increase the number of crimes that were punishable by death [1] OR to apply the death penalty to a wider range of crimes [1] NOTE: wrong answer- to eliminate the death penalty (refer to the word ‘defied’)

S Vadrevu 4 Question 3 How was William Bradford’s attack on the death penalty different from what the abolitionist movement proposed? [2] He wanted to limit the death penalty to very serious cases [1] But the abolitionist movement wanted to eliminate the death penalty for all crimes [1] NOTE: Must mention the abolitionists’ stand to contrast against Bradford’s stand.

S Vadrevu 5 Question 4 The death penalty was ‘not a preventive measure’ (line 51). What evidence did the writer give for having this opinion? [2] When there were no serious crimes, the death penalty would be taken away, but it was put back when serious crimes were committed [1] OR there was a cyclical pattern of abolishment and reinstatement of the death penalty [1] It would have been too late by the time the death penalty was reinstated because the crime would already have been committed [1] NOTE: No marks for describing only half of the cyclical pattern

S Vadrevu 6 Question 5 Why was 1917 considered the ‘lowest point of the abolitionist movement’ (lines 46-47)? [1] The number of states that abolished capital punishment was the least compared to other years [1] OR the number of states that instituted the death penalty increased while the number that rejected it declined [1]

S Vadrevu 7 Question 6 How do you think the public viewed criminals when prisons were used instead of the death penalty? [2] IMPORTANT: remember that public opinion controlled the law. If the criminals were put in prison, it was because the public felt that was better. They felt that criminals could change their ways [1] And they could be given another chance at leading their lives again [1] NOTE: think of the question as: “What do you think was the general public opinion of criminals at the time when most people opposed the death penalty?”

S Vadrevu 8 Question 7 With the start of the Civil Rights Movement, the abolitionist movement became more successful. How did the former help the latter? [2] It argued that man had the right to live [1] The death penalty would violate this right [1] NOTE: Avoid throwing in whole chunks of information. You get no marks for making the examiner select the points.

S Vadrevu 9 Question 8 What evidence is there to show that there were ‘constant changes’ (line 64) to the death penalty? As the presidents changed [1] The laws changed [1] NOTE: The point about the Supreme Court holding discussions is not evidence. Neither is the point about the serious consequences and irreversibility of capital punishment

S Vadrevu 10 Question 9 Capital punishment is a contentious issue. What specific evidence does the writer provide to show this? [2] Whether capital punishment is right or wrong has been widely discussed after more than two centuries [1] And changes are always being made to the laws of a country [1] OR Many ethical issues arise [1] OR There have been many groups in support or opposition of the death penalty [1]

S Vadrevu 11 Question 10 According to the writer, what are the benefits of imprisonment? [3] The level of suffering is higher, especially for young offenders [1] There is the chance to turn over a new leaf and be released early [1] The decision is reversible if the person has been wrongfully accused [1]

S Vadrevu 12 Question 11 According to the writer, what are ‘real criminals’ (line 41)? Hold high positions in society and escape detection [1] OR too intelligent/ powerful to get caught [1]

S Vadrevu 13 Question 12 Antisocial Disruptive Not doing the society good Opposed to laws and society Harmful to society Not blending in well with society Contrary to the rules of society

S Vadrevu 14 Question 12 Stream A long and continuous series of things Flow Continuous flow NOT ACCEPTED: continuous, series

S Vadrevu 15 Question 12 Outlawed Made illegal Abolished Banned Disallowed

S Vadrevu 16 Question 12 Right Authority Morally justified to do something Power

S Vadrevu 17 Question 12 Meticulously Carefully With attention to detail Precisely NOT ACCEPTED: cautiously, thoroughly

S Vadrevu 18 Summary Answer Key 1Rush’s proposal sparked off a stream of abolitionist petitions from people in the other states as well Rush’s proposal led to many people petitioning for the end of capital punishment 2In the 1790s, William Bradford, the Pennsylvania attorney general attacked the death penalty A Pennsylvanian attorney general 3While not arguing for its total elimination, he presented a strong case for its limitation to the most severe cases Proposed the reduction in the types of crimes that were punishable by death 4By the second quarter of the nineteenth century Later on 5Abolitionist movements sprang up Many different abolitionist movements came about

S Vadrevu 19 Summary Answer Key 6In many states in AmericaIn various American states 7And in 1845, the American Society for the Abolition of Capital Punishment was founded The American Society for the Abolition of Capital Punishment was later founded 8It was only in 1846A year later 9That Michigan abolished the death penalty and replaced it with life imprisonment Michigan used life imprisonment instead of capital punishment 10By 1852, Rhode Island outlawed hanging and Wisconsin did the same a year later… their system of law and order More states followed suit

S Vadrevu 20 Summary Answer Key 11The civil war in the second half of the eighteenth century interrupted the concern over the death penalty But the Civil War later interrupted the momentum 12A new perspective… the National Prison Association was formed in 1870 The National Prison Association was later formed 13Once the death penalty was revoked in a state… it would be reinstated again But the states were constantly removing and putting back capital punishment 14Then, in the wake of an exceptionally heinous crime, the death penalty would be reinstated The law was returned after a heinous crime 15An eloquent and impassioned plea for abolishing the death penalty would lead to its consideration and even enactment in the judicial system And when there were fewer crimes the law was removed again

S Vadrevu 21 Summary Answer Key 16The abolitionist movement only recovered in the 1960s The abolitionist movement became popular again 17With the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement When the Civil Rights Movement occurred 18Arguments were made against the killing of criminals because every human had the right to live This was enhanced 19Christian groups began to seriously adopt the abolitionist position on the death penalty By Christian groups who opposed capital punishment 20The Supreme Court held serious discussions about the case for capital punishment Although the Supreme Court debated about the death penalty 21Over the years, as the presidency changed, so too did the laws on the death penalty The outcome usually depended on who the president was at the moment