No Cruel or Unusual Punishment

Download or read book No Cruel or Unusual Punishment written by David Machajewski and published by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. This book was released on 2018-12-15 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1788, it had a major flaw: it failed to acknowledge individual rights. Early Americans were not pleased. They didn't believe their new government was respecting their freedoms. Thus, the Bill of Rights was created. Readers will explore the history, significance, and controversy surrounding the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits cruel or unusual punishment. Primary sources, sidebars, and compelling stories, demonstrate how the amendment protects, and potentially harms, criminals. Historic and present-day examples of long-standing debates about the amendment's controversial "cruel and unusual" clause further illustrate the amendment's importance.