The debate about whether or not more gun control laws should be implemented has been has come to the forefront of much of today’s current events. The dramatic increase of media coverage of school shootings, mass murder, domestic terrorism, and gang violence has attributed to this modern explosion of opinions, however the history of gun control and ownership is as old as the nation itself, dating back all the way to the signing of the Constitution. The Second Amendment of the Constitution outlines a “right to bear arms [that] shall not be infringed”. Many today debate whether or not this law of the land is justified in current times and believe it to be outdated. With “88.8 guns per 100 people, or about 270,000,00 guns” (Procon.org) in the nation, America has the most guns in the
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Their original use, hunting and self-protection, evolved into weapons when the fight for independence from the British ensued. The first evidence of gun related laws occurred within the colonies that “required that heads of households (including women) own guns and that all able-bodied men enroll in the militia and carry personal firearms” (ProCon). Furthermore, the presence of guns were requested at church and town meetings. On December 15, 1791, the Second Amendment of the Constitution was ratified, declaring the right for citizens to bear arms. Guns were plentiful at this time, but also highly regulated. Native Americans, slaves, and indentured servants were all among those unable to purchase a firearm. As early as 1792, all men belonging to the militia were required to register their gun for public record and fines were in place to deter people from owning anything other than an official military gun. The regulations on guns continued throughout the 1800s as recently freed slaves were prohibited from owning guns and visitors in towns had to check their guns at the sheriff's
Their original use, hunting and self-protection, evolved into weapons when the fight for independence from the British ensued. The first evidence of gun related laws occurred within the colonies that “required that heads of households (including women) own guns and that all able-bodied men enroll in the militia and carry personal firearms” (ProCon). Furthermore, the presence of guns were requested at church and town meetings. On December 15, 1791, the Second Amendment of the Constitution was ratified, declaring the right for citizens to bear arms. Guns were plentiful at this time, but also highly regulated. Native Americans, slaves, and indentured servants were all among those unable to purchase a firearm. As early as 1792, all men belonging to the militia were required to register their gun for public record and fines were in place to deter people from owning anything other than an official military gun. The regulations on guns continued throughout the 1800s as recently freed slaves were prohibited from owning guns and visitors in towns had to check their guns at the sheriff's