A Well Regulated Militi The Founding Fathers And The...

A Well-Regulated Militia: The Founding Fathers and the Origins of Gun Control in America By Saul Cornell Introduction The Second Amendment remains one of the most controversial pieces of legislation in the contemporary America. The onset of the controversy regarding gun ownership rights can be traced back to the nineteenth century. Some of the major events that shaped the debate on gun ownership include Shay’s Rebellion and the dispute between federalists and anti-federalists. Slavery and the abolition movement also shaped the debate on gun ownership. In order to understand the bitter controversy that accrues from the Second Amendment, Saul Cornell provides a detailed analysis of the history that brought forth the contentious†¦show more content†¦The obligation of each citizen, therefore, is to fulfill a constitutional duty by enforcing the laws therein. The ownership of guns is protected by the constitution. At the time when the Constitution was ratified, various considerations were made. Some of the key factors considered include the protection of personal freedom and the protecti on of one’s property (Cornell 22). Therefore, the constitution was written to protect the citizens from oppression, and facilitate their freedom. The citizens were granted the right to bear arms for their self-defense and defense of the state. However, that is not the only consideration that should be made when deciding whether to own a firearm or not. The possession of a firearm incorporates the knowledge on use, care, and maintenance. The most important thing citizens were granted the right to bear firearm arms in order to ensure safety for the owner and the people around him or her. Above all, a firearm can be used to fight and defend national and personal freedoms. Gun ownership, thus analyzed from the confines of the Second Amendment, bears a constitutional underpinning hence making it a civic duty (Cornell 23). Therefore, the ownership of a gun is an exercise of a constitutional freedom and an avenue for committing to protect the freedoms of the nation. Shays’ Rebellion and Impact on Militia Debate One of the things that shaped the debate about gun ownership is the Shay’s Rebellion. The Shays’ Rebellion