The Ultimate U.S. Capital Punishment Quiz
What is the most common method of execution used in the United States?
- Lethal injection has been the most common method of execution used in the United States since the 1980s. It involves injecting a lethal dose of drugs, typically a combination of an anesthetic, a paralytic agent, and potassium chloride, into the veins.
What is the second most common method of execution used in the United States?
- The electric chair was once the most common method of execution in the United States, but no longer. It involves strapping the condemned person into a chair and electrocuting them with a high-voltage electrical current.
Which state was the first to abolish the death penalty?
- Michigan abolished the death penalty in 1846, becoming the first state to do so. However, the state did keep the death penalty for the crime of treason.
How many states in the United States have abolished the death penalty?
- As of 2023, 23 states in the United States have abolished the death penalty. Including Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and more.
Which of the following is NOT a method of execution used in the United States?
- Stoning is not a method of execution used in the United States. It is a form of capital punishment that involves throwing stones at the condemned person until they die.
Which state was the last to use the electric chair as its sole method of execution?
- Nebraska was the last state to use the electric chair as its sole method of execution. It last used the electric chair in 2008, and has since switched to lethal injection.
Which state has the highest number of executions in the United States?
- Texas has carried out the most executions of any state in the United States since the reinstatement of capital punishment in 1976. As of 2021, Texas has executed over 570 people.
Which of the following is NOT a reason why states have abolished the death penalty?
- Lack of available execution drugs is not a reason why states have abolished the death penalty. However, it has become an issue in recent years as pharmaceutical companies have refused to sell drugs for use in executions.
Which of the following methods of execution has been ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court?
- Hanging has been ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court as a method of execution. It was last used in the United States in 1996.
Which state was the last to have carried out an execution as of 2023?
- Mississippi was the last state to have carried out an execution as of 2023. It executed a man by lethal injection in mid-December of 2022.
