Amnesty is a sovereign act of forgiveness for past offenses (generally of a political nature that threatens the sovereignty of the government), which is granted to a group of people as a whole (for individuals is called grace) and always through national law or a government decree. Historically, amnesty has always been a controversial issue. The roots of forgiveness and amnesty are found in ancient law. The first amnesty is generally attributed to Thrasybulus in ancient Greece (403 BC). However, fifteen centuries earlier, the Babylonian kings would declare a misharum, resulting in a general release from legal constraints. There is also evidence of amnesty in Roman law, which had a huge impact on the development of European law. In medieval Europe, amnesties were granted by the Roman Catholic Church and certain rulers. Subsequently it concentrated mainly in the hands of monarchs. Famous amnesties are those granted by Charles II of England, Napoleon or Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. Taking a more recent example, the first amnesty in the United States (although it was more of an individual pardon) was granted by President George Washington in 1795 to certain individuals after the Whiskey Riot, caused due to problems with alcohol taxes. Then, President Adams granted another amnesty in 1800. Thomas Jefferson granted pardons to military deserters in 1807. President Madison granted amnesty on four occasions: three times to deserters, and the last time, Madison pardoned pirates” who came to the aid of their country". Other presidents granted amnesties such as Jackson (1830), Lincoln, who granted the first amnesty of the Civil War in 1862, Johnson (1865), or in the 20th century, Roosevelt, Coolidge, and Truman. The amnesty had in common...... middle of paper......t crimes. This is the main difference, as amnesty exempts one or more groups of people from criminal responsibility for past crimes, as explained above. However, there is another difference, since amnesties ignore crimes while pardons remit the punishment. performed by other people or repeated by the same person. Amnesty is an act of mercy, extended by the government to all persons who fall within its terms and which erases the criminality of acts committed in the past and declares that they will not be treated as punishable.” Furthermore, amnesties are normally granted before trial, while pardons are granted after the offender has been convicted and exempt the individual from serving the sentence..