Difference between revisions of "Sodomy law: Connecticut, October, 1672"
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Jump to navigationJump to search (New page: {{GLA}} p.107-8. Connecticut legislators passed a statute amending their laws of 1642 and 1650, May. LINK <ref> 1672. Oct.: Connecticut "sodomy" law; The Book of the General Laws for the ...) |
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| + | Connecticut legislators passed a statute amending their laws of [[Sodomy law: Connecticut, December 1, 1642|1642]] and [[Sodomy law: Connecticut, May, 1650|May 1650]]. The new "sodomy" provision eliminated the death penalty for the party who was forced, or under fifteen. Age had not been mentioned in the earlier law. The bestiality clause remained the same. Two new capital crimes were added to the 1673 law, incest and the striking of parents by children over fifteen.<ref>{{GLA}}, p.107-108, citing ''The Book of the General Laws for the People within the Jurisdiction of Connecticut'' (Cambridge, Mass.: Samuel Green, 1673), p. 9, reprinted in George Brinley, ed., ''The Laws of Connecticut. An Exact Reprint of the Original Edition of 1673'' (Hartford, Conn.: for private distribution, 1865). The 1750 revision is mentioned in a footnote to ''The Public Statute Laws . . .'' (see below). The 1796 law is in ''Acts and Laws of the State of Connecticut'' (Hartford: Hudson & Goodwin, 1796), p. 182. The 1808 revision (or reprinting) is in ''The Public Statute Laws of the State of Connecticut, Book I'' (Hartford: Hudson & Goodwin, 1808), pp. 29495.</ref> | ||
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The capital crimes of 1672, listed in the following order, were: (1) idolatry, | The capital crimes of 1672, listed in the following order, were: (1) idolatry, | ||
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conspiracy against the colony, (13) arson, and (14) children over fifteen cursing | conspiracy against the colony, (13) arson, and (14) children over fifteen cursing | ||
or smiting parents. | or smiting parents. | ||
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The law whose margin referred to "sodomy" read: | The law whose margin referred to "sodomy" read: | ||
| − | <blockquote>If any man lyeth with Man-kind as he lyeth with a Woman, both of them have committed abomination, they both shall surely be put to death, except it | + | <blockquote>If any man lyeth with Man-kind as he lyeth with a Woman, both of them have committed abomination, they both shall surely be put to death, except it appear that one of the parties were forced, or under fifteen years of age. Levit. 20:13.</blockquote> |
| − | appear that one of the parties were forced, or under fifteen years of age. Levit. 20:13.</blockquote> | ||
| − | This Connecticut law was next revised with minor changes in 1750, 1796, and 1808. The death penalty for sodomy was abolished in Connecticut in 1821. | + | This Connecticut law was next revised with minor changes in 1750, 1796, and 1808. The death penalty for sodomy was abolished in Connecticut in 1821.<ref>The 1821 abolition of the death penalty for sodomy in Connecticut is reported by Louis Crompton (personal communication to Robert Oaks).</ref> |
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| + | <div style="text-align: right; direction: ltr; margin-left: 1em;"> | ||
| + | Return to [[Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin|Age of Sodomitical Sin]] index • Go to [[Samuel Danforth: "The Cry of Sodom," 1674|next article]] | ||
| + | </div> | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
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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}} | ||
[[Category:The Age of Sodomitical Sin]] | [[Category:The Age of Sodomitical Sin]] | ||
| − | + | [[Category:Colonizing and Settling, 1585-1763]] | |
| + | [[Category:Connecticut]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Law]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Sodomy]] | ||
| + | [[Category:1670-1679]] | ||
| + | [[Category:17th century]] | ||
Latest revision as of 11:46, 15 July 2008
death for sodomy
PROTECTED ENTRY: This entry by a named creator or site administrator can be changed only by that creator and site administrators, so they are responsible for its accuracy, coverage, evidence, and clarity. Please do use this entry's Comment section at the bottom of the page to suggest improvements. Thanks.
Connecticut legislators passed a statute amending their laws of 1642 and May 1650. The new "sodomy" provision eliminated the death penalty for the party who was forced, or under fifteen. Age had not been mentioned in the earlier law. The bestiality clause remained the same. Two new capital crimes were added to the 1673 law, incest and the striking of parents by children over fifteen.[1]
The capital crimes of 1672, listed in the following order, were: (1) idolatry,
(2) blasphemy, (3) witchcraft, (4) murder, (5) murder through gile, (6) bestiality,
(7) "sodomy," (8) incest, (9) rape, (10) man-stealing, (11) false witness, (12)
conspiracy against the colony, (13) arson, and (14) children over fifteen cursing
or smiting parents.
The law whose margin referred to "sodomy" read:
If any man lyeth with Man-kind as he lyeth with a Woman, both of them have committed abomination, they both shall surely be put to death, except it appear that one of the parties were forced, or under fifteen years of age. Levit. 20:13.
This Connecticut law was next revised with minor changes in 1750, 1796, and 1808. The death penalty for sodomy was abolished in Connecticut in 1821.[2]
Return to Age of Sodomitical Sin index • Go to next article
References
- ↑ Jonathan Ned Katz, Gay/Lesbian Almanac (NY: Harper & Row, 1983), p.107-108, citing The Book of the General Laws for the People within the Jurisdiction of Connecticut (Cambridge, Mass.: Samuel Green, 1673), p. 9, reprinted in George Brinley, ed., The Laws of Connecticut. An Exact Reprint of the Original Edition of 1673 (Hartford, Conn.: for private distribution, 1865). The 1750 revision is mentioned in a footnote to The Public Statute Laws . . . (see below). The 1796 law is in Acts and Laws of the State of Connecticut (Hartford: Hudson & Goodwin, 1796), p. 182. The 1808 revision (or reprinting) is in The Public Statute Laws of the State of Connecticut, Book I (Hartford: Hudson & Goodwin, 1808), pp. 29495.
- ↑ The 1821 abolition of the death penalty for sodomy in Connecticut is reported by Louis Crompton (personal communication to Robert Oaks).
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.
