Aaron O'Neill
Research lead for society, economy, and politics: Europe & global
History of guns in the U.S. - Statistics & Facts
In the 21st century, guns remain an ingrained part of American society and culture. For many, firearms are integral to the principles upon which the country was founded, representing individual freedoms, self-determination, and the right to protect one’s family and property. Since 1791, gun ownership has been protected nationally by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, although restrictions on aspects such as ease of possession, public carrying, and the right of self-defense have varied on a state level. Rates of ownership and gun violence in the U.S. are unique when compared with other developed countries, where firearms have historically been more assosicated with the military, hunting, or sport, rather than protection or national identity. Today, the U.S. has more guns than people, and its civilian population has a larger firearm arsenal than all the world’s militaries combined.
Life on the frontier could be dangerous and brutal, however, it is generally accepted that the level of lawlessness and violence that occurred has been exaggerated. The towns most associated with this violence, such as Dodge or Deadwood, had some of the strictest gun control policies; concealed carry was illegal and visitors were required to check their weapons with local law enforcement. The reputation largely comes from depictions of the Wild West in the novels, films, and travelling shows that were popular at the turn of the 20th century. By the time the frontier was declared “closed” in 1890, the need for firearms in hunting and self-defense was much lower; agriculture fulfilled most food demands, the native population had mostly been subjugated, and law enforcement replaced vigilante and frontier justice. Nonetheless, the romanticization of Wild West gunslingers remains a common trend in popular culture, and there is a strong tradition of hunting and shooting in more rural communities.
“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.
This amendment was proposed over concerns that a tyrannical government could use federal forces to seize power, but this would not be possible if faced with a much larger, decentralized militia. The wording of the Second Amendment itself was also important in determining who had the right to bear arms: early considerations applied the right to all free men, but ownership was then tied to militia membership to appease slaveowners, as Blacks were ineligible for service in the South and controlling slave populations was the militia’s primary function in many areas. The importance of the militia lessened over the 19th century, as heavy defeats to professional British forces in the War of 1812 highlighted the need for a stronger standing army, their role in controlling Black populations decreased after the Civil War, and state militias were mostly amalgamated into the National Guard in 1903. Throughout the 20th century there had been some debate over the interpretation of the Second Amendment and whether it was a “collective right” of the militia to bear arms or an “individual right” of all citizens to bear arms – in 2008, the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment was an individual right, cementing its status as the most powerful legal precedent for the right to bear arms in the United States.
To curb gun violence, the National Firearms Act was introduced in 1934, followed by the Federal Firearms Act in 1938. These acts placed criminal, regulatory, and tax requirements on weapons favored by gangsters, such as machine guns, sawn-off shotguns, and silencers. By this time, almost all states had also introduced laws restricting or outright banning the concealed carrying of weapons, as this was considered criminal behavior. Gun crime then decreased during recovery from the Great Depression and remained low in the prosperous postwar years, before a second major crime wave began in the 1960s.
Several factors have been cited as contributing to this second wave, such as the Baby Boomer generation’s arrival into adolescence, economic downturns, growing income inequality, and a booming illegal drug market. Notable high-profile assassinations in the 1960s, including the Kennedys, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X, as well as the University of Texas tower shooting (the deadliest mass shooting at the time), helped push stricter gun control measures through. The Gun Control Act of 1968 then built on the acts of the 1930s by bringing further restrictions to interstate sales, banning mail order firearms, and preventing felons, drug users, and those found mentally incompetent from owning a gun. Violent crime rates remained high until the 1990s, when they then started to fall consistently until recent years.
Additionally, guns have a large influence in national discussions around racial equality. Strict "law and order" approaches to inner-city policing since the 1980s has placed a strain on relationships between law enforcement and many poorer, often Black, communities. The legacy of heightened tensions coupled with easy access to firearms has seen numerous non-threatening situations escalate to become lethal, with notable cases of innocent people being killed as private individuals (protected by “stand your ground” laws) or law enforcement officers take a “shoot first and ask questions later” approach to safety.
Such widespread access to guns has also seen gun violence viewed more as a public health issue in recent years. Guns have recently become the leading cause of death of children, and are already responsible for a large share of suicides and accidental injuries. This combination of factors has seen a proposed 28th Amendment to the Constitution, which would introduce federal age restrictions, waiting periods, and background checks for firearm purchases, as well as ban civilian ownership of assault rifles. However, many see this an ambitious or unrealistic proposal, as it would require 75 percent of states to agree.
Frontier spirit
Guns were introduced to the Americas with the arrival of European settlers, but the origins of modern gun culture in the U.S. is generally traced back to the "frontier spirit" that emerged in the 18th century. Later referred to as “manifest destiny”, many settlers believed it was God’s will that they conquer the lands to the west, though many simply went in search of opportunity and prosperity. During this expansion, firearms were needed by settlers who had to hunt and fight off wild animals, as well as defend against indigenous populations as this expansion cut into their territory; because of this, several colonies legally required settlers to obtain firearms before migrating.Life on the frontier could be dangerous and brutal, however, it is generally accepted that the level of lawlessness and violence that occurred has been exaggerated. The towns most associated with this violence, such as Dodge or Deadwood, had some of the strictest gun control policies; concealed carry was illegal and visitors were required to check their weapons with local law enforcement. The reputation largely comes from depictions of the Wild West in the novels, films, and travelling shows that were popular at the turn of the 20th century. By the time the frontier was declared “closed” in 1890, the need for firearms in hunting and self-defense was much lower; agriculture fulfilled most food demands, the native population had mostly been subjugated, and law enforcement replaced vigilante and frontier justice. Nonetheless, the romanticization of Wild West gunslingers remains a common trend in popular culture, and there is a strong tradition of hunting and shooting in more rural communities.
The militia
Another key influence in the role of guns in U.S. history was the militia. From colonial times until the Civil War, local militias played a key role in national defense alongside standing armies, although they were administered on a local or state level rather than centrally. Pre-independence, laws varied by colony, but often required households to possess at least one firearm, and all able-bodied men were to be prepared for militia service. After the Revolutionary War, the founding fathers enacted frameworks that protected state militias, most notably with 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.
This amendment was proposed over concerns that a tyrannical government could use federal forces to seize power, but this would not be possible if faced with a much larger, decentralized militia. The wording of the Second Amendment itself was also important in determining who had the right to bear arms: early considerations applied the right to all free men, but ownership was then tied to militia membership to appease slaveowners, as Blacks were ineligible for service in the South and controlling slave populations was the militia’s primary function in many areas. The importance of the militia lessened over the 19th century, as heavy defeats to professional British forces in the War of 1812 highlighted the need for a stronger standing army, their role in controlling Black populations decreased after the Civil War, and state militias were mostly amalgamated into the National Guard in 1903. Throughout the 20th century there had been some debate over the interpretation of the Second Amendment and whether it was a “collective right” of the militia to bear arms or an “individual right” of all citizens to bear arms – in 2008, the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment was an individual right, cementing its status as the most powerful legal precedent for the right to bear arms in the United States.
Crime in the 20th century
At the turn of the 20th century, gun manufacturers shifted their focus to urban markets and began using personal safety as the key selling point for their products. This saw a growth in handgun and pistol sales, although technological advances also saw new firearms make their way on to the market. The most notable of these was the Thompson (“Tommy ”) submachine gun: originally invented for use in the trenches of WWI, it quickly became the signature weapon of criminal gangs during Prohibition. This period marked the largest crime wave in U.S. history, not just due to organized crime, but also through a swelling of poorer populations in urban areas, both through internal migration from the rural South, as well as waves migration from countries such as Italy and Mexico. The rise in gun crime led to higher rates ownership for protection purposes, and this seeped into other areas of society: guns became the most common method of suicide in the early-1900s, and the murder of law enforcement peaked in the 1920s.To curb gun violence, the National Firearms Act was introduced in 1934, followed by the Federal Firearms Act in 1938. These acts placed criminal, regulatory, and tax requirements on weapons favored by gangsters, such as machine guns, sawn-off shotguns, and silencers. By this time, almost all states had also introduced laws restricting or outright banning the concealed carrying of weapons, as this was considered criminal behavior. Gun crime then decreased during recovery from the Great Depression and remained low in the prosperous postwar years, before a second major crime wave began in the 1960s.
Several factors have been cited as contributing to this second wave, such as the Baby Boomer generation’s arrival into adolescence, economic downturns, growing income inequality, and a booming illegal drug market. Notable high-profile assassinations in the 1960s, including the Kennedys, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X, as well as the University of Texas tower shooting (the deadliest mass shooting at the time), helped push stricter gun control measures through. The Gun Control Act of 1968 then built on the acts of the 1930s by bringing further restrictions to interstate sales, banning mail order firearms, and preventing felons, drug users, and those found mentally incompetent from owning a gun. Violent crime rates remained high until the 1990s, when they then started to fall consistently until recent years.
Recent pushes for regulation
Despite the drop in crime, the Columbine High School Massacre of 1999 marked a new era in discussions around gun control. Mass shootings have become more frequent since, especially school shootings, and the amount of media and political attention paid to these events has seen calls for improved regulation. The mass shooting phenomenon has also coincided with the rising share of military-style weapons on the market, which grew in popularity after the Federal Assault Weapons Ban was lifted in 2004. This marks the first time since the 1930s where high-capacity weapons are in demand, although their use in some of the country's deadliest attacks resulted in several states implementing assault weapons bans. Most Americans support a nationwide ban on assault weapons, however the influence of the gun rights lobby in American politics means that no meaningful regulations have yet been passed by Congress.Additionally, guns have a large influence in national discussions around racial equality. Strict "law and order" approaches to inner-city policing since the 1980s has placed a strain on relationships between law enforcement and many poorer, often Black, communities. The legacy of heightened tensions coupled with easy access to firearms has seen numerous non-threatening situations escalate to become lethal, with notable cases of innocent people being killed as private individuals (protected by “stand your ground” laws) or law enforcement officers take a “shoot first and ask questions later” approach to safety.
Such widespread access to guns has also seen gun violence viewed more as a public health issue in recent years. Guns have recently become the leading cause of death of children, and are already responsible for a large share of suicides and accidental injuries. This combination of factors has seen a proposed 28th Amendment to the Constitution, which would introduce federal age restrictions, waiting periods, and background checks for firearm purchases, as well as ban civilian ownership of assault rifles. However, many see this an ambitious or unrealistic proposal, as it would require 75 percent of states to agree.
