Alva Review-Courier -

One of the provisions of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the government from subjecting we, the people, to “cruel and unusual punishments.”

When most people hear that phrase, they believe that a discussion of the death penalty is imminent. Forever and a day from now, Americans will be debating whether or not the death penalty constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.

Thankfully, this article is not about that issue. The subject under discussion here is about some other punishments the British government used to mete out to various lawbreakers in the American colonies prior to the creation of t...