What exactly does the 2nd amendment say?
Asked by: Cyril Haley | Last update: August 26, 2025Score: 4.9/5 (44 votes)
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
What would be considered arms?
The Second Amendment protects arms, not firearms,6 and in Heller, the Supreme Court defined an arm as any “[w]eapon[] of offence” or “thing that a man wears for his defence, or takes into his hands,” that is “carr[ied] . . . for the purpose of 'offensive or defensive action.
What was the original reason for the 2nd amendment?
Abundant historical evidence indicates that the Second Amendment was meant to leave citizens with the ability to defend themselves against unlawful violence. Such threats might come from usurpers of governmental power, but they might also come from criminals whom the government is unwilling or unable to control.
What guns are not protected by the 2nd amendment?
That right, however, is limited to those “in common use at the time for lawful purposes like self-defense.” Id. at 624-25, 627. Indeed, this limitation is “fairly supported by the historical tradition of prohibiting the carrying of dangerous and unusual weapons,” such as short-barreled shotguns and machine guns.
What did founding fathers say about the 2nd amendment?
"The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic; since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers; and will generally, even if these are successful in the first instance, enable the people to resist and ...
What Does The 2nd Amendment Actually Say?
What is the exact wording of the Second Amendment?
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Which amendment gives the right to overthrow the government?
“The fanciful claim that the Second Amendment exists to allow armed groups to overthrow the government is the basis for the equally deranged claim that the people must have an arsenal equal to the government's.
How does gun control violate the Second Amendment?
The Second Amendment was written to protect Americans' right to establish militias to defend themselves, not to allow individual Americans to own guns; consequently, gun-control measures do not violate the U.S. Constitution.
Who wrote the Second Amendment?
Who wrote the Second Amendment? The Second Amendment, ratified in 1791, was proposed by James Madison to allow the creation of civilian forces that can counteract a tyrannical federal government.
What might happen if there were no second amendment?
Without the Second Amendment, states and the federal government would be able to regulate the manufacturing, sale and use of fire arms any way they like. Government could even go as far as strictly prohibiting anyone from owning or using firearms. There is actually some debate about what the Second Amendment means.
Does the Second Amendment only apply to militias?
In a landmark Supreme Court decision in 2008, District of Columbia v. Heller asserted that the Second Amendment protected the right of all individual citizens to keep and bear their own weapons to defend themselves, instead of only being for a state-run militia.
What is the 6th Amendment?
It gives citizens a series of rights in criminal trials. They include the rights to a fast and public trial by an impartial jury, to be aware of the criminal charges, to confront witnesses during the trial, to have witnesses appear in the trial, and the right to legal representation.
What did William Blackstone say about the right to bear arms?
Amendment II: William Blackstone, Commentaries 1:139. 5. The fifth and last auxiliary right of the subject, that I shall at present mention, is that of having arms for their defence, suitable to their condition and degree, and such as are allowed by law. Which is also declared by the same statute I W.
What is the God given right in the Second Amendment?
Out of this bloody travail, the Founders enshrined the God-given right to private firearm ownership in the Second Amendment as “the right of the people to keep and bear arms.” U.S. Const. amend. II.
What is the difference between a gun and an arm?
A weapon is something used to create violence. A gun is a type of weapon, that shoot bullets. "Arms" typically means guns, but is more of a military word.
What are the benefits of the Second Amendment?
Our Constitution's framers affirmed our right to bear arms through the Second Amendment for an important reason; to provide Americans with means of protection and self-defense.
What did the founding fathers intend with the Second Amendment?
The Founding Fathers felt that citizens should be able to protect themselves against the government and any other threat to their wellbeing or personal freedom. The Second Amendment granted citizens that right — giving them the ability to defend themselves and their property.
What did James Madison say about the 2nd Amendment?
Drafted by James Madison, the final version of the Second Amendment on September 25, 1789, reads, “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Understanding the disputes and previous drafts of the Second Amendment ...
What is a famous quote about the Second Amendment?
“No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.” “I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.” “What country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance. Let them take arms.”
What does Brady United believe about the Second Amendment?
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS – AND HOW YOU CAN ACT NOW
It is urgent that our leaders: 1) pass state and federal gun violence prevention laws; 2) support a reasonable construction of the Second Amendment; and 3) direct the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to crack down on the criminal gun market.
Is owning a gun a constitutional right?
The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees a "right of the people to keep and bear arms." However, the meaning of this clause cannot be understood apart from the purpose, the setting, and the objectives of the draftsmen.
Why shouldn't guns be banned?
The fault here is that while guns can inflict fear and death, they can also be a way for a defender to protect their family. Banning guns altogether isn't fair, especially when neither view of them is complete because it is based on past experience and not fact.
Does the Constitution say it's OK to overthrow the government?
--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on ...
Is God mentioned in the Declaration of Independence?
While the U.S. Constitution does not mention God, nearly all state constitutions reference either God or the divine, according to a 2017 analysis. God also appears in the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance and on U.S. currency.
What is the 23rd Amendment right?
Constitutional Amendments – Amendment 23 – “Extending the Vote to the District of Columbia” Amendment Twenty-three to the Constitution was ratified on March 29, 1961. It gives electors to the District of Columbia – the capital city of the United States – so that it may participate in presidential elections.