When did American begin using capital punishment?
From its onset. In fact, capital punishment was inherited from the British. At the time of the Revolution, treason with the British called for hanging, disembowlment and drawing and quartering. Guarenteed you survived the first step. So hanging or firing squad was much more humane under American Law. Actually I have not found one incident where the British applied that punishment to American Revolutionaries. I know John Adams was very concerned about it though.
