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Jane Doe

Professor Boakye

fntermediate Composition

9 March 2023

Literature Review: The Second Amendment

During the 17th and 18th centuries. colon.ists came to America with European fireanns

which were valued as treasured tools. When the United States obtained independence .• the

country immediately began mass-producing firearm.� to protect the newly secured freedom. This

amendment was enacted into the Constitution in 1791 developing the foundation for the basic

individual right� of the people of the United States. The individual right restrict� le.gislative

action from prohibiting firearm possession and would render restricting the right as

unconstitutional. In recent times, there has been an increasing debate about whe.ther or not

banning guns would decrease the statistics of gun-related crime and violence. ln my literature

review. I will be analyzing the definition of the second amendment. give historical context. and

provide statistics of firearms.

DEFINITION OF THE SECOND AMEND�1ENT

[n the United States Constitution. the Second Amendment is defined as ··A well.regulated

Militia, being necessary 10 the security of a rree State., the right of the people 10 keep and bear

Arms, shall not be infringed ... This amendment originally ensured that Americans could protect

themsehres from potential attacks from the government or others who could cause harm. Some

people believe that it is a fundamental right to own firearms for hunting and self defense. An

anic.le by the University of Virginia School of law e.xplains that the "'Second Amendment is

about an individual right, not a collective one .. (Marshall). This statement reinforces On the

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contrary, others view this as outdated and believe that the true interpreration of the Second

Amendment does not clearly grant the individual ownership rights During the time period of the

enactment of Second Amendment, "a well.regulated Militia" referred to c.itizen.soldiers that

could use their weapons to be able to defend their communities.

HISTORY OF THE SECOND AMEND�1ENT

The origins of the Second Amendment are linked back to ancient Roman times and funher

de\reloped in England in the 16th century. A nationaJ militia was instituted by Queen Elizabeth r

•'in which individuals of all c.lasses were required by law to take part to defend the reaJm"

(Charles, 2023). The ideology of a militia was then used into the 18th century through the

American Revolution and was included in the Articles of Confederation. The Second

Amendment wa� enacted into the United States Constitution in 179 l as pan of the Bill of RighK

This amendment "'provided a constitutional check on congressional power under Anic.le I

Section 8 to organize, arm, and discipline the federal militia" (Charles, 2023). A major concern

in the nation prior to the enactment of the United States Constitution was the amount of power

that the government held over the people. The Bi II of Right� granted right� that were guaranteed

to the people and if the government attempts to ioftinge upon the entitJed freedoms, this should

be recognized a� unconstitutional. The right to bear arms protects individual rights and allows

people to fulfill the obligations of assisting in the common defense.

STATISTICS OF FIREARMS IN THE UNITED S T

ATES

Controversy has sparked from the Second Amendment and deciphering whether or not the

Second Amendment grants the right to bear arms for the people or only the militia. According to

Gallup New, a survey study revealed that "majority of the U.S. public, 73%, believes the Second