8th Amendment: The Death Penalty

The following questions appear onscreen in the video. Feel free to integrate them into your lesson plan as needed.

 
Part I
Questions to consider before watching the video:

• A 1976 U.S. Supreme Court decision declared the death penalty constitutional. As you watch the program, note the arguments for and against this form of punishment.
• Consider your own opinion of the death penalty. Is it cruel and unusual punishment, or is it a penalty that fits the crime?

Questions to consider after watching the video:

• The 8th Amendment to the constitution prohibits "cruel and unusual punishment." What constitutes such punishment?
• Discuss controversial issues related to capital punishment, such as executing a person who may later be found innocent.

Suggested activity
Research recent news articles about state moratoriums on the death penalty. Write a letter to a governor expressing whether you agree or disagree with this policy and why.
 
 
Part II
Questions to consider before watching the video:

• The controversial issue of capital punishment generates strong feelings. Think about your views on capital punishment.
• As you watch the program, consider the moral, economic, and political factors that influence someone's opinion about the death penalty. Questions to consider after watching the video:
• The method of execution varies among states that uphold the death penalty. Discuss whether lethal injection is less "cruel and unusual" than electrocution.
• Do you think the method of execution is relevant to the debate over the death penalty?

Suggested activity
Read the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution. Hold a class debate about whether capital punishment is a violation of civil rights.