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Essay / The Second Amendment
The Second Amendment is one of 10 amendments to the US Constitution also known as the Bill of Rights. This amendment to the Constitution has always fueled the debate over legislation relating to gun control and the individual right to bare arms. Before the Constitution, Colonial Americans were British subjects and were considered to have the right to bear arms to be able to defend themselves and their property. Later, after the Revolutionary War and the making of the Constitution, the Second Amendment was explicitly made to the Constitution. The Second Amendment stated that “the people have the right to bear arms in defense of themselves and the state” (“The History of Gun Rights in America: A Timeline of the 2nd Amendment,” 2018). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay During the time of the American Revolutionary War, many people believed that governments used soldiers and their armies to oppress the people and that for all other purposes, militias were used. But when war broke out due to insufficient militias, the conventional constitution gave the power to create a new army. People feared that Congress would abuse its power and use it to oppress the people ("The Second Amendment - Facts & Summary - HISTORY.com", 2018). After the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, James Madison proposed this amendment to give more power to the state. militias. The Second Amendment was ratified in 1791, after the amendment proposed by James Madison that the newly developed state needed a well-regulated militia and, for the safety of the people, they should have the right to bear arms . The amendment was made on the basis of the government's trust in armed people. In this way, Madison also believed that the people would not fear his government as they did the British Crown, because the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right of people to be armed ("Second Amendment | Law Library of Congress", 2018 ). , there have been several cases before the United States Supreme Court related to the Second Amendment, such as Bliss v. Commonwealth (1822), Dred Scott v. Sandford (1856), and many others. These decisions were based on case scenarios and upheld the right of individuals to bear arms. But with Congress passing new laws, it was now necessary to license both the buyer and the seller (“Second Amendment | Law Library of Congress,” 2018). To this day, secondary legislation is still applicable in America, although laws passed by Congress have been introduced. These laws include the Stock Act and the Background Check Completion Act. Both laws were passed in 2017 (“The History of Gun Rights in America: A Timeline of the 2nd Amendment,” 2018). Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized document now from our expert writers. Get Custom Essay These laws passed by Congress aim to expand access to public lands to reduce restrictions on the purchase of gun silencers and to allow the sale of guns based on a full background check. The gun debate in the United States has always revolved around the Second Amendment. Some supporters of the Second Amendment believe that the Founding Fathers ratified it in order to guarantee individual rights. However, other opponents say the opposite. But mass shooting events over the past 2-3 years necessitate that..