The early 20th century in the US saw a wave of abolition followed by reinstatement of the death penalty, reflecting a clash of social values and anxieties. The Progressive Era (roughly 1890-1920) emphasized reform, and some states abolished capital punishment questioning its effectiveness and morality. However, this era also saw fear of radicalism and a rise in violent crime, leading many of these same states to reinstate the death penalty by 1920, believing it deterred crime and provided a just punishment.

Additional comments for your classmates:

• For Student X: You mentioned lynchings being a factor in the reinstatement of the death penalty. That’s a very interesting point! It would be interesting to learn more about how the threat of lynching influenced public opinion and policy changes.
• For Student Y: Is there anything you’ve learned about the economic factors that might have played a role in these decisions? Some research suggests that economic prosperity might have influenced decisions to abolish the death penalty.