The history of capital punishment has been around since the beginning of the world we live in today. As the years passed, the use of capital punishment was passed down from generation to generation in countries. One of the earliest uses of capital punishment dates back to the Old Testament. During biblical times, God punished the world for its sins by causing a flood to destroy mankind. Many ancient cultures decided that death should be the end result of crimes committed. Ancient nations developed legal codes to follow otherwise capital punishment will be given. Crimes that deserved death were considered offensive to God and people. (Gersham, 2005) The first case of the death penalty dates back to Egypt. In this case the accused was accused of practicing magic. In these times the practice of magic was against legal codes and was offensive to both Gad and the people. The accused was ordered to take his own life for his crime. (Gersham, 2005) King Hammurabi designed a law code in Babylon, consisting of 282 laws written on 12 tablets. Twenty-five of his code violations resulted in capital punishment. These Law Codes were one of the first written laws in the world. Hammurabi's laws had a great impact on the Western world. (Gersham, 2005) During Roman times the method of capital punishment was making progress. Under Roman rule one of the most famous executions was the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus was accused of political crimes and contesting authority. Capital punishment during Roman rule was widely used to set an example for its citizens. Almost all crimes resulted in capital punishment. The use of torture was often used before executions were carried out. The Romans......middle of paper......The Death Penalty: An American History. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. Capital punishment and utilitarianism. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/3174449/Capital-Punishment-and-UtilitarianismDonohue, J., & Wolfers, J. J. (2006). The death penalty: no evidence of deterrence. The Economists' Voice, 3(5), 30. doi:10.2202/1553-3832.1170Gershman, G. P. (2005). Death Penalty at Trial: A Handbook with Cases, Laws, and Documents. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO.Lethal Injection. (n.d.). Retrieved January 15, 2014, from www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/lethal-injection-moratorium-executions-ends-after-supreme-court-decision.Radelet, M.L., & Borg, M.J. (2000). The changing nature of death penalty debates. Annual Review of Sociology, 26(1), 43-61. doi:10.1146/annurev.soc.26.1.43Williams, M. E. (2000). Capital punishment. San Diego: Greenhaven Press.