About Punishments in Colonial Times

Colonial America had strict laws, a result of its inhabitants religious beliefs. There were severe punishments for breaking them, and all included some level of shaming the law breaker in front of everyone. The public humiliation was not only for the benefit of the wrongdoer but also to show the rest of the colonists that committing crimes would result in punishment.

The Facts

The concept of "innocent until proven guilty" didn't exist during this time in history. People had to prove they were innocent, or they would be punished. Married women accused of a crime had to let their husbands plead their case. Common forms of punishment were hanging, the ducking-stool and whipping post, sitting in the stocks and branding.

Benefits

Colonists who broke the law were reprimanded in front of the whole colony. It did not matter what the crime or the punishment was. Even hangings were done in public. Children would get a day off from school and all work would stop so everyone could go watch the whipping, dunking or hanging. This was meant to intimidate people from disobeying the law and to embarrass the criminal.

Features

Colonial Americans were religious people. Their biblical beliefs helped shaped their laws. The "meetinghouse" was used for religious services and a place to meet to make laws for many colonies. The minister was also an important person in the colony. A law that stated everyone had to go to the "meetinghouse" on the Sabbath gave the church leaders control over things that went on that day. They were strict on what was worn on the Lord's Day as well as how people behaved. One of the laws was to not work on the Sabbath. The Sabbath lasted from Saturday evening until Sunday evening.

Type

The most severe form of punishment was for the crime of murder. People that committed murders were hung and sometimes gibbeted. This was when the body of the murderer was put in a metal frame and left out for the public to see. If people stole, they had a letter T branded near their palm so people could see it when they shook hands. Women who talked back to their husbands got the punishment of the ducking-stool. The stocks were used to humiliate people convicted of public drunkenness. Those people that received the punishment of the stocks were placed with a sign around their necks in public, and people would throw mud at them and tease them.

Significance

Some colonial American laws could be considered unusual for today's standards. Even laughing was illegal on the Lord's Day then. The country began with the laws and ideals of colonial America. The laws have changed since then, but the Christian beliefs in which America was founded continue to influence decisions in the present. The belief in God is inherent in everything from the Pledge of Allegiance to influencing people on how to vote for president.