nations abolished capital punishment.
However, some countries and most
states of the United States continue to
use it.
Conflicting Views
People who support capital punishment
say that justice is done when a person
who has committed murder is executed.
They also say that fear of death will make
people less likely to commit murder.
People who oppose capital punishment
say that it is not civilized. They doubt
whether it prevents crime, and they
point out that innocent people have
been wrongly executed. They also argue
that capital punishment is applied
unevenly. Most people who are executed
are poor or members of minority groups
who do not have access to good lawyers.
History
Capital punishment goes back to
ancient times. In ancient Greece and
Rome people were put to death for
many different crimes. It has been
limited over time, though in some
countries it is still used for a variety of
offenses. In the United States in 2002
A group of people in California attend a
protest against capital punishment.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Capital Punishment 35
the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against
executing anyone who is mentally
impaired. Three years later the Court
banned execution for people who were
less than 18 years old when they
committed their crimes.
..More to explore
Crime
Car
..see Automobile.
Caracas
Population
(2001
estimate), city,
1,836,000;
(2005
estimate), urban
area,
2,913,000
Caracas is the capital of Venezuela, a
country in northern South America. The
city is in a valley surrounded by mountains.
The port of Caracas lies on the
Caribbean Sea, about 20 miles (32 kilometers)
away from the city. Caracas is
the largest city in Venezuela by far. It is
the country’s center of culture, education,
business, and manufacturing.
Venezuela’s largest companies all have
offices in Caracas. Many people in the
city work in banks, insurance companies,
shopping centers, and government
offices. Important products made in
Caracas include chemicals, clothing,
processed foods, paper, and medicines.
Tourism also brings money to Caracas.
The Spanish founded the city in the
1560s. In 1577 Caracas became the
capital of a Spanish province. English
pirates attacked the city in 1595. Earthquakes
almost destroyed Caracas in
1755 and 1812.
Caracas was the birthplace of Simon
Bolivar, who led several revolutions
against Spanish rule. Under his leadership
Venezuela became the first colony
to rebel against Spain. Venezuela became
an independent country in 1830 with
Caracas as its capital.
Many people moved to Caracas during
the 20th century. The city grew quickly.
In 1999 a rainstorm caused floods and
mudslides throughout northern Venezuela.
Many thousands of people in Caracas
were killed.
..More to explore
Venezuela
Mountains provide a beautiful background
for the city of Caracas, Venezuela.
36 Car BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Cardiff
Population
(2006 estimate)
317,500
Cardiff is the capital ofWales, one of the
four main parts of the country called the
United Kingdom. It is the largest city in
Wales. The city lies where the Taff River
flows into a part of the Atlantic Ocean.
The economy of Cardiff depends heavily
on government activity and service
industries such as health care, education,
and tourism. The city isWales’s center
of trade, shopping, banking, and insurance.
The Romans built a fort in the Cardiff
area in ancient times. In the 1090s a
landowner from England built another
fortification on the same site. This
became Cardiff Castle. A town grew
around the castle.
Cardiff was a small town for hundreds
of years. Coal mines were developed in
the area in the late 1700s. After that
Cardiff grew into a major port for shipping
out coal. The city’s coal trade
ended in the 1960s. But Cardiff
remained the most important city in
Wales.
..More to explore
United Kingdom •Wales
Cardinal
Cardinals are American songbirds
known for the male’s bright red
feathers. Both the male and the female
sing a loud, clear whistling song yearround.
The northern cardinal is one of
the most common birds of North
America. It is related to finches,
grosbeaks, and many types of sparrows.
Other species, or types, of cardinal live
in South America.
Northern cardinals are found mainly in
the United States east of the Rocky
Mountains, in southeastern Canada, and
in Mexico. These birds do not fly south
for the winter. Instead they spend the
entire year in the same area. They live in
bushes, in gardens, and at the edges of
woodlands.
Cardiff Castle is located in the middle of the
city. The stone structure called the keep of
the castle was built in the 1100s.
The Welsh
name for
Cardiff is
Caerdydd.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Cardinal 37
The northern cardinal is about 8 inches
(20 centimeters) long. It has a pointed
tuft of feathers, called a crest, on top of
its head. The males are red with black
face markings and red crests. The
females and young cardinals have graybrown
backs. Their wings, tails, and
crests are a dull red.
All cardinals have strong, cone-shaped
bills. This helps them crush the seeds
they eat. Cardinals also eat many kinds
of insects and fruits.
#More to explore
Bird • Songbird • Sparrow
