Difference between revisions of "Sodomy law: Massachusetts Bay, 1648"

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The publication of the whole Massachusetts Body of Laws and Liberties, passed
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== "severely punished"==
in [[Sodomy law: Massachusetts Bay, November, 1641|1641]] but not before printed, constituted the first collection of statutes published in the American colonies.<ref> 1648: Massachusetts Bay "sodomy" law; Max Farrand, ed., Book of the General Lawes and Liberties of Massachusetts (San Marino, Calif.: Huntington Library, 1929), p. 5. The list of capital crimes is the same as that printed on the 1643 London broadside; the
 
sodomy provision cites Gen. 19:5 in the margin. </ref>
 
  
  
The origins of these Massachusetts statutes were partly Mosaic, partly English
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The Massachusetts Body of Laws and Liberties, passed in [[Sodomy law: Massachusetts Bay, November, 1641|1641]] but not before printed, constituted the first collection of statutes published in the American colonies.<ref>Adapted from {{GLA}}, p. 92, which cites Max Farrand, ed., ''Book of the General Lawes and Liberties of Massachusetts'' (San Marino, Calif.: Huntington Library, 1929), p. 5. The list of capital crimes is the same as that printed on the 1643 London broadside; the sodomy provision cites Genesis 19:5 in the margin.</ref> The origins of these Massachusetts statutes were partly Mosaic, partly English common law, and partly an original colonial invention. The sodomy provision was identical to the [[Sodomy law: Massachusetts Bay, November, 1641|Massachusetts law of 1641]], except for the addition that boys under fourteen, or the party who was forced, were to be "severely punished," but not put to death.
common law, and partly an original colonial invention. The sodomy provision
 
was identical to the [[Sodomy law: Massachusetts Bay, November, 1641|Massachusetts law of 1641]], except for the addition that
 
boys under fourteen, or the party who was forced, were to be "severely punished,"
 
but not put to death.
 
  
  
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Return to [[Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin|Age of Sodomitical Sin]] index • Go to [[Sara Norman and Mary Hammon: Plymouth, March 6, 1649|next article]]
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Return to [[Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin|Age of Sodomitical Sin]] index • Go to [[Legal case: Norman, Hammon; Plymouth, March 6, 1649|next article]]
 
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== References ==
 
== References ==
 
Article adapted from {{GLA}} p. 92.
 
 
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{{Curated Exhibit|exhibit name and link=[[Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin|Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin]]|firstname=Jonathan Ned|lastname=Katz}}
 
{{Curated Exhibit|exhibit name and link=[[Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin|Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin]]|firstname=Jonathan Ned|lastname=Katz}}
  
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==Categories==
 
[[Category:The Age of Sodomitical Sin]]
 
[[Category:The Age of Sodomitical Sin]]
[[Category:American Colonial Era (1607-1776)]]
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[[Category:Colonizing and Settling, 1585-1763]]
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[[Category:Law]]
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[[Category:Massachusetts Bay Colony]]
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[[Category:Sodomy]]
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[[Category:Sodomy Law]]
 
[[Category:1640-1649]]
 
[[Category:1640-1649]]
 
[[Category:17th century]]
 
[[Category:17th century]]
[[Category:Sodomy]]
 
[[Category:Massachusetts Bay Colony]]
 
[[Category:Law]]
 

Latest revision as of 21:01, 14 April 2009

"severely punished"

The Massachusetts Body of Laws and Liberties, passed in 1641 but not before printed, constituted the first collection of statutes published in the American colonies.[1] The origins of these Massachusetts statutes were partly Mosaic, partly English common law, and partly an original colonial invention. The sodomy provision was identical to the Massachusetts law of 1641, except for the addition that boys under fourteen, or the party who was forced, were to be "severely punished," but not put to death.


This Massachusetts law was next revised in 1697.


Return to Age of Sodomitical Sin index • Go to next article


References

  1. Adapted from Jonathan Ned Katz, Gay/Lesbian Almanac (NY: Harper & Row, 1983), p. 92, which cites Max Farrand, ed., Book of the General Lawes and Liberties of Massachusetts (San Marino, Calif.: Huntington Library, 1929), p. 5. The list of capital crimes is the same as that printed on the 1643 London broadside; the sodomy provision cites Genesis 19:5 in the margin.


This entry is part of the featured exhibit Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin curated by Jonathan Ned Katz. As it is content created by a named author, editor, or curator, it is not open to editing by the general public. But we strongly encourage you to discuss the content or propose edits on the discussion page, and the author, editor, or curator will make any changes that improve the entry or its content. Thanks.


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