Gallowses have a long and interesting history in the world of capital punishment. Gallowses are a type of execution device used since medieval times that employ a rope suspended from a frame or beam to hang a person who has been sentenced to death. They have been used in a variety of places around the world, including England and parts of the United States. Gallowses are sometimes referred to as the “tree of justice” since the frame, beam, and rope all resemble a tree. Gallowses were initially constructed from either a large tree trunk or from a wooden frame with a beam running across it. To ensure that the rope did not break under the weight of the person being executed, the rope was sometimes replaced on occasions. This led to gallowses appearing slightly different throughout history, with some having a hook or other type of anchor to which the rope was attached, while others had the beam and frame designed to support the rope without such an anchor. Most gallowses were designed such that the person hanged was hoisted slightly off the ground. This was due to the belief that a public display of execution served as a deterrent to potential criminals, and thus the individual sentenced to hang was put on display for all to see. Over time the design of gallowses improved, making them a more efficient form of execution in those that allowed and practiced it. Today, the death penalty is largely only practiced in a few countries, and most of them have opted for more modern methods such as lethal injection or electrocution. Nevertheless, gallowses remain a significant part of the history of capital punishment.