Age of Jackson/Reform Movements - Social
People now complain about prison and prison food, but in the 17/1800's prisons were much worse. Some "prisons" were just holes in the ground or abandoned mines that a bunch of people from murderers to petty thieves were thrown into mixed together. Prisoners would be beaten, starved, and sometimes killed. And that's just by the guards, never mind what went on "in the hole". Beginning in 1816 the government begun building better places to keep prisoners. They believed that by letting them repent and teaching them their wrong doings they were more likely to change from there "evil" ways. So begun penitentiaries, a place to practice penitence (or remorse). They would now be sat in solitary confinement and work in silence to have time to think about their wrong doing.