History of Treason

	Revision 6 . . December 13, 2001 2:03 am by Vicki Rosenzweig [minor copyedit; please spell out "century"]
	Revision 5 . . December 13, 2001 1:30 am by Uriyan
	Revision 4 . . December 13, 2001 1:26 am by Egern [Charges of treason are often used to stifle dissent]
	Revision 3 . . December 13, 2001 1:00 am by The Anome [Deleted 'is no more than', and put term in bold]
	Revision 2 . . (edit) December 13, 2001 12:25 am by (logged).253.64.xxx
	Revision 1 . . December 13, 2001 12:23 am by (logged).253.64.xxx [some facts]

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Changed: 3c3

The English Statute of Treasons (1350), distinguished high treason from petty treason. Petty treason was the murder of one's lawful superior. High treason covered acts that constituted a serious threat to the stability or continuity of the state, including attempts to kill the king, to counterfeit coins or to wage war against the kingdom. An 18th C. law defines four basic types of high treason:

The English Statute of Treasons (1350), distinguished high treason from petty treason. Petty treason was the murder of one's lawful superior. High treason covered acts that constituted a serious threat to the stability or continuity of the state, including attempts to kill the king, to counterfeit coins or to wage war against the kingdom. An 18th century law defines four basic types of high treason:

Changed: 9c9

The punishment for treason was often extended and especially cruel. The law was used in England to suppress any resistence to government policy and it was not reformed until the 19th C.

The punishment for treason was often extended and especially cruel. The law was used in England to suppress any resistence to government policy and it was not reformed until the 19th century.

Changed: 11c11

In the US, mindful of the abuses of the English system, the Constitution states that in Article 3 that "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on the confession in open court. The Congress shall have the power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attained". In the United States Code the penalty ranges from "shall suffer death" to "shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States."

In the United States, mindful of the abuses of the English system, the Constitution states in Article 3 that "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on the confession in open court. The Congress shall have the power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attained". In the United States Code the penalty ranges from "shall suffer death" to "shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States."