Guillotine
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The guillotine is a machine used to kill people (by chopping off their heads). It got its first common use in France during the French Revolution of 1789. It was in common use in France, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. Since all those countries have stopped capital punishment (the death penalty), the guillotine is no longer in use.
It is named after a French doctor of medicine, Joseph Ignace Guillotin. Guillotin proposed to use a mechanical device to carry out all the executions. His proposition was on October 10,1789. The machine was devised by another doctor, Antoine Louis. Its first name was Louisette. Against the will of Guillotin, the device rapidly became known as Guillotine. Guillotin regretted this,up to his death in 1814. Guillotin wanted to have a more humane way of execution. The device also became known as The national razor, The mill of silence, the widow, and the tie of the Capet. Guillotin was against the death penalty. He thought that a more humane way of execution was the first step to abolish it.