What is the second amendment and meaning?

Answer 1

The Second Amendment 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." These words have generated considerable controversy as part of the broader debate over gun control. Proponents of stricter controls generally contend that the amendment was meant to protect the collective right of states to maintain militia units. Their opponents respond that the amendment was intended to protect an individual right, noting that in the eighteenth century the militia was composed of the entire free white male population, who were expected to muster bearing their own arms.

This lively debate notwithstanding, the Supreme Court has only considered Second Amendment claims in a handful of cases. One reason is that for much of American history there were few regulations concerning firearms ownership. The settlers of colonial America were heirs to the English tradition of distrust of standing armies and professional police forces as dangerous to individual liberty. The English tradition of relying on the armed yeomanry both to enforce laws and protect the realm from external enemies was reinforced in the colonial era. The need to defend settlements against Native Americans and the armies of other European powers led to the http://www.answers.com/topic/deputize of the entire white population. Colonial statutes required all white men, with few exceptions, to both keep arms and bear them in militia formations. The American Revolution strengthened the traditional suspicion of standing armies and reinforced the view that militias composed of armed http://www.answers.com/topic/citizenry were the best way to guarantee both security and liberty.

Like the rest of the http://www.answers.com/topic/bill-of-rights of Rights, the Second Amendment was an attempt to answer the objections of anti‐Federalists who charged that the new Constitution would be used to deprive the people of rights traditionally considered among the rights of http://www.answers.com/topic/the-englishmen. Statements by the amendment's principal author, James http://www.answers.com/topic/james-madison, indicate that he saw the amendment as protecting the arms of the population at large.

Answer 2

The Second Amendment, or Amendment II, of the United States Constitution is the amendment and the section of the Bill of Rights that says that people have the right to keep and bear arms.

" 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.

During early American history, all males who were between the ages of sixteen to sixty were required to be a part of the local militia in their towns and communities. Almost everyone during this time used and owned guns. The few men who did not use or own a gun were required by law to pay a small fee instead of participating in the military services of their communities. These militias defended the communities against Indian raids and revolved, acted as a police force when it was needed, and was also available to be called upon to defense either the State or of the United States of America if it was needed.

The word arms did not necessarily only mean guns, but it definitely included guns. The Second Amendment did not specifically explain what categories or types of arms nor did it list what weapons were considered arms. When you bear arms, this means you physically carry weapon. You may have arms in your home as well as on your person.

These rights are thought of as natural rights or God-given rights. In the Bill of Rights, the Second Amendment is just a reminder to the government that they should not try to stop people from having this right.

Answer 3

" 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."

Answer 4

The Second Amendment states the right to bear arms.

Answer 5

The second amendment means you have the right to "BEAR ARMS" meaning that you can keep a gun in the house. As long, as you don't shoot anyone innocent.

Answer 6

You have a right to own a gun.