Right to keep and bear arms in the United States
In the United States, the right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental right[1][2][3] protected by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, part of the Bill of Rights, and by the constitutions of most U.S. states.[4] The Second Amendment declares:
Which has an English common law tradition, the concept of a right to keep and bear arms was recognized prior to the creation of a written national constitution.[7]
1. The act of 1837–38, ch. 137, sec. 2, which prohibits any person from wearing any , or Arkansas toothpick, or other knife or weapon in form, shape or size resembling a Bowie knife or Arkansas toothpick under his clothes, or concealed about his person, does not conflict with the 26th section of the first article of the bill of rights, securing to the free white citizens the right to keep and bear arms for their common defense.
Bowie knife
2. The arms, the right to keep and bear which is secured by the constitution, are such as are usually employed in civilized warfare, and constitute the ordinary military equipment; the legislature have the power to prohibit the keeping or wearing weapons dangerous to the peace and safety of the citizens, and which are not usual in civilized warfare.
3. The right to keep and bear arms for the common defense, is a great political right. It respects the citizens on the one hand, and the rulers on the other; and although this right must be inviolably preserved, it does not follow that the legislature is prohibited from passing laws regulating the manner in which these arms may be employed.
87% said they support requiring criminal background checks for all gun buyers;
81% support raising the age requirement to buy guns to 21;
80% support requiring mental health checks for all gun purchasers;
80% said police should be allowed take guns away from people considered a danger to themselves or others;
2nd Amendment Day
American gun ownership
Gun laws in the United States by state
Second Amendment sanctuary
Gun politics
Index of gun politics articles
Overview of gun laws by nation
Right of self-defense
Lund, Nelson (2008). . In Hamowy, Ronald (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage; Cato Institute. pp. 438–440. doi:10.4135/9781412965811.n269. ISBN 978-1412965804. OCLC 750831024.
"Right to Bear Arms"
Volokh, Eugene (ed.). . UCLA School of Law. Archived from the original on March 5, 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2020..