WEBQUEST

THE DEATH PENALTY in the UNITED STATES

Justice For All ?

Find the right definition and translate into French:

Right
TRANSLATION GLOSSARY DEFINITIONS
letter
1. sentence a) against, in opposition
2. pro b) the place where condemned criminals await their execution
3. con c) one of a number of persons living in a prison or other institution
4. capital punishment d) a punishment for a crime
5. death row e) the conditional release of a prisoner before the end of a prison term
6. to convict f) the judges, magistrates, and other officers that administer justice
7. court g) young person
8. lethal h) examination in a law court before a judge (or judge and jury)
9. inmate i) in favor of, in support of
10. trial j) the idea that fear of punishment will prevent crimes
11. juvenile k) to declare in a law court that a person is guilty (= not innocent)
12. parole l) causing death
13. deterrence m) the use of execution as the consequence of a crime

You've probably seen this film : "The ...................................................................................".

What is it about ? Complete the following text, using words from the grid above :

"The Green Mile" tells the story of Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks), the head guard on ..............................
.............................. at Cold Mountain Penitentiary in Louisiana.
(The Green Mile is the green floor from the prisoners' cells to the execution chamber.)
Edgecomb tries to maintain order and peace among the prisoners until each is escorted to the electric chair.
An ........................................... , seven-foot-tall, 330-pound John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan) who
makes miracles, was .......................................... of murdering two girls and the .............................. sentenced
him to the .............................. ......................................... .
Although he is not .............................. , he will be executed.

MODES OF EXECUTION
Complete the following sentences with : electric chair / firing squad / gas chamber / hanging

1) ............................................................ is a method of execution where a hangman's noose is put around a person's

neck and the person is raised from the ground, either via suspension from a tree or a drop away floor on a gibbet or
gallows.
2) The ............................................................ was first used in 1890 in New York. It took eight minutes to kill a person
via electricity. Benjamin Franklin experimented with the process earlier to see how much electricity it took to kill a
monkey.
3) The ............................................................ is a method of execution where a person is faced with an array of people
with guns who all shoot at once, utilized especially by militaries.
4) The ............................................................ is a method of execution where lethal gas is pumped into a chamber
containing victims.
 A LITTLE HISTORY
1) What was famous in 1692 ? ......................................................................................................................

2) Who was electrocuted in Massachusetts in 1927 ? and why ?

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3) Why was Bruno Richard Hauptmann executed in 1936 ?

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4) What were Julius and Ethel Rosenberg convicted of in 1952 ?

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5) Why was Timothy McVeigh famous in 1997 ?

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6) Who tried to save Karla Faye Tucker in 1998 ? ......................................................................................

7) What saved nine death row inmates in 2000 ? ........................................................................................

8) Find 2 states which had the most juvenile executions.

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9) What did the Washington Post announce on March 2, 2005?

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Look at the map and click on the different methods of execution.

1) Is lethal gas used in California ? ...............................................................................................................

Is it the only State ? .......................................................................................................................................

2) In which part of the USA is electrocution most used ? .............................................................................

3) Which method of execution is most common ? ........................................................................................

4) Which method do Idaho and Utah also use ? ............................................................................................

5) Which methods are used in Washington ? .................................................................................................

6) Name the 18 States that do not use death penalty (plus the District of Columbia):
Pay attention: the map is not up-to-date, as an 18th state has very recently abolished the death penalty.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.

EXECUTIONS
1) Which state totals up the highest number of black people on death row ? .....................................................................

2) Are there more men or more women on death row ? .......................................................................................................

3) In which state do most executions take place ? ................................................................................................................

4) Why was George W. Bush nicknamed "the Texecutioner" ? ............................................................................................

 ARGUMENTS FOR and AGAINST

1) Find arguments FOR the death penalty . Use your own words.

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2) This organization wants to abolish the death penalty : ....................................................................................................

What are their arguments ?

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An ALTERNATIVE to the Death Penalty:

1) Name this alternative:

2) What are the arguments in favour of this alternative?
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