Question 1

Which of the following is an example of branding in early American society?
A) marked on their thumb with the letter "T" for thief
B) marked on their back with the letter "M" for murderer
C) none of these
D) all of these

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is an example...

Question 2

Which of the following is true regarding corporal punishment?
A) It tended to be the most frequently used punishment up until the 1700s.
B) It was often administered in a public forum to add to the deterrent effect.
C) These types of punishment also included purposes of retribution.
D) all of these

Accepted Answer

Corporal punishment was indeed a common form of punishment up until the 1700s, often administered publicly to enhance its deterrent effect, and it served purposes of retribution as well as deterrence.

Question 3

During the 1600s and 1700s, ______ was another useful punishment and could mean simple exile from the country or exile to and/or enslavement in a penal colony.
A) whipping
B) banishment
C) branding
D) stocks

Accepted Answer

Banishment was used as a form of punishment during the 1600s and 1700s, involving exile from a country or sending individuals to penal colonies, sometimes including enslavement there.

Question 4

During the American Revolution, British officials housed prisoners in broken-down or decommissioned vessels known as ______.
A) hulks
B) prison ships
C) floating prisons
D) bars on sea

Accepted Answer

The term "hulks" refers to old ships that were no longer seaworthy and were used to house prisoners during the American Revolution.

Question 5

Who was an advocate of religious freedom and instrumental in spreading the concept of humane treatment of prisoners, specifically in Pennsylvania?
A) William Howard
B) Cesare Beccaria
C) William Penn
D) James Regal

Accepted Answer

William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, was a Quaker who advocated for religious freedom and played a significant role in the establishment of principles that included the humane treatment of prisoners.

Question 6

The ______ followed a body of laws called the Great Law, which was more humane in approach than the typical English response to crime.
A) Buddhists
B) Catholics
C) Quakers
D) Mormons

Accepted Answer

The Quakers, known for their pacifist beliefs, followed the Great Law, which emphasized fairness and was more humane compared to the harsher punitive measures common in English law at the time.

Question 7

Who published an influential treatise in 1764 titled An Essay on Crimes and Punishment, which argued against the death penalty and for the certainty rather than the severity of punishment?
A) John Howard
B) Jeremy Bentham
C) William Penn
D) Cesare Beccaria

Accepted Answer

Cesare Beccaria, an Italian criminologist, jurist, philosopher, and politician, published "An Essay on Crimes and Punishments" in 1764, advocating for legal reforms, the abolition of the death penalty, and the idea that the certainty of punishment is a more effective deterrent than the severity of punishment.

Question 8

In addition to advocating proportionality, classical criminology emphasized that punishments must be all of the following except ______
A) retributive
B) useful
C) purposeful
D) reasonable

Accepted Answer

Classical criminology, developed in the 18th century, primarily by Cesare Beccaria, emphasized that punishments should be more about preventing future crimes rather than retributing past actions. It advocated for punishments to be useful, purposeful, and reasonable, aiming for deterrence rather than retribution.

Question 9

Which early sheriff had the duty of prison inspector and was appalled by the unsanitary conditions he found while conducting his inspections?
A) William Penn
B) Jeremy Bentham
C) John Howard
D) John Fitzgerald

Accepted Answer

John Howard, as a sheriff, was shocked by the poor conditions in prisons and became a leading advocate for prison reform, dedicating his life to improving the sanitary conditions and treatment of prisoners.

Question 10

Who created the concept of the "hedonistic calculus," which involves individuals maximizing pleasure and reducing pain?
A) Cesare Beccaria
B) William Penn
C) Jeremy Bentham
D) Samuel Wood

Accepted Answer

Jeremy Bentham developed the concept of the "hedonistic calculus," a principle of utilitarianism that involves calculating the balance of pleasure and pain to determine the best course of action.

Question 11

What was the name of the first official prison in the United States?
A) Walnut Street Jail
B) Old Newgate Prison
C) Old State Prison
D) Jackson Street Prison

Accepted Answer

The answer of What was the name of the first...

Question 12

In 1787, Benjamin Rush, the Quakers, and other reformers met together in what was then the official prison reform group, the ______.
A) Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons
B) Pennsylvania Progressive Society
C) Pennsylvania Society for Prison Reform and Progression
D) Progressive Prison Society

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is A) Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons. This organization, founded by Benjamin Rush and other reformers, aimed to improve the conditions within prisons and is considered one of the earliest prison reform groups in the United States.

Question 13

In 1790, the first American jail opened called the ______ in Philadelphia, PA.
A) Walnut Street Jail
B) Coconut Grove Jail
C) Main Street Jail
D) Almond Court Jail

Accepted Answer

The first American jail opened in 1790 was called the Walnut Street Jail, located in Philadelphia, PA.

Question 14

Which early prison has drawn most of the attention when historians and prison buffs talk about the Pennsylvania system of corrections?
A) Western State Penitentiary
B) Sing Sing Prison
C) Eastern State Penitentiary
D) Old Newgate Prison

Accepted Answer

Eastern State Penitentiary is most associated with the Pennsylvania system of corrections, known for its innovative wagon wheel design and solitary confinement approach intended for prisoner reflection and penitence.

Question 15

In what year did the Eastern State Penitentiary open in Pennsylvania?
A) 1903
B) 1829
C) 1899
D) 1778

Accepted Answer

The Eastern State Penitentiary in Pennsylvania opened in 1829. It was among the earliest prisons to introduce the system of solitary confinement, aiming at reforming the inmates.

Question 16

Which early prison system kept inmates in solitary confinement during the evening but permitted inmates to work together during the day?
A) Pennsylvania
B) New York
C) Auburn
D) Alabama

Accepted Answer

The Auburn system, associated with Auburn Prison in New York, allowed inmates to work together in silence during the day but required them to be in solitary confinement at night.

Question 17

Why did Auburn designs tend to have much smaller cells than the Pennsylvania system?
A) Because inmates at Auburn were smaller than those in the Pennsylvania system.
B) It was an unintentional flaw in the design.
C) Because Auburn prison designers were more retributive.
D) Because inmates were allowed out of their cells on a daily basis so they could go to work.

Accepted Answer

The Auburn system allowed inmates to leave their cells daily for work, reducing the need for larger individual cells since they were not confined to them all day, unlike the Pennsylvania system where inmates were isolated in their cells.

Question 18

What system utilized inmate labor through state-negotiated contracts with private manufacturers?
A) Pennsylvania system
B) contract labor system
C) penitence system
D) vocational skill system

Accepted Answer

The contract labor system utilized inmate labor through state-negotiated contracts with private manufacturers, allowing these companies to take advantage of cheap labor while purportedly providing inmates with work.

Question 19

Prior to the Civil War, ______ Codes required White inmates to be separated from slaves. Frequently, slaves were given harsher punishments for crimes.
A) White
B) slave
C) Black
D) southern

Accepted Answer

Black Codes were laws that enforced racial segregation and discrimination, including the separation of White inmates from slaves and harsher punishments for slaves.

Question 20

Many southern states eventually abolished the ______ system and created large prison farms reminiscent of the old plantations of the South.
A) loaning
B) contributing
C) lending
D) leasing

Accepted Answer

Many southern states abolished the convict leasing system, where prisoners were leased out to private contractors, and instead created large prison farms that were reminiscent of the old plantations.

Quiz 1: Early History of Punishment and the Development of Prisons in the United States

Which of the following is an example of branding in early American society?

Which of the following is true regarding corporal punishment?

During the 1600s and 1700s, ______ was another useful punishment and could mean simple exile from the country or exile to and/or enslavement in a penal colony.

During the American Revolution, British officials housed prisoners in broken-down or decommissioned vessels known as ______.

Who was an advocate of religious freedom and instrumental in spreading the concept of humane treatment of prisoners, specifically in Pennsylvania?

The ______ followed a body of laws called the Great Law, which was more humane in approach than the typical English response to crime.

Who published an influential treatise in 1764 titled An Essay on Crimes and Punishment, which argued against the death penalty and for the certainty rather than the severity of punishment?

In addition to advocating proportionality, classical criminology emphasized that punishments must be all of the following except ______

Which early sheriff had the duty of prison inspector and was appalled by the unsanitary conditions he found while conducting his inspections?

Who created the concept of the "hedonistic calculus," which involves individuals maximizing pleasure and reducing pain?

What was the name of the first official prison in the United States?

In 1787, Benjamin Rush, the Quakers, and other reformers met together in what was then the official prison reform group, the ______.

In 1790, the first American jail opened called the ______ in Philadelphia, PA.

Which early prison has drawn most of the attention when historians and prison buffs talk about the Pennsylvania system of corrections?

In what year did the Eastern State Penitentiary open in Pennsylvania?

Which early prison system kept inmates in solitary confinement during the evening but permitted inmates to work together during the day?

Why did Auburn designs tend to have much smaller cells than the Pennsylvania system?

What system utilized inmate labor through state-negotiated contracts with private manufacturers?

Prior to the Civil War, ______ Codes required White inmates to be separated from slaves. Frequently, slaves were given harsher punishments for crimes.

Many southern states eventually abolished the ______ system and created large prison farms reminiscent of the old plantations of the South.