Founding Fathers and Gun Control
Our founding fathers had no objection to regulating guns. Here are five types of gun laws they supported. From Saul Cornell at Fordham University:
Registration: "The colonies and then the newly independent states kept track of . . . privately owned weapons required for militia service."
Public Carrying of Fire Arms: "The American Revolution did not sweep away English common law. In fact,
most colonies adopted common law as it had been interpreted in the
colonies prior to independence, including the ban on traveling armed in
populated areas."
Stand Your Ground: "Under traditional English common law, one had a duty to retreat, not
stand your ground. Deadly force was justified only if no other
alternative was possible. One had to retreat, until retreat was no
longer possible, before killing an aggressor."
Safe Storage: "Guns had to be kept unloaded, a practice that made sense since the black
powder used in firearms in this period was corrosive. Loaded guns also
posed a particular hazard in cases of fire because they might discharge
and injure innocent bystanders and those fighting fires."
Loyalty Oaths: "In fact, the Founders engaged in large-scale disarmament of the civilian
population during the American Revolution. The right to bear arms was
conditional on swearing a loyalty oath to the government. Individuals
who refused to swear such an oath were disarmed."
http://theconversation.com/five-types-of-gun-laws-the-founding-fathers-loved-85364.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-five-types-of-gun-laws-the-founding-fathers-loved-85364-20171016-story.html
Registration: "The colonies and then the newly independent states kept track of . . . privately owned weapons required for militia service."
Public Carrying of Fire Arms: "The American Revolution did not sweep away English common law. In fact,
most colonies adopted common law as it had been interpreted in the
colonies prior to independence, including the ban on traveling armed in
populated areas."
Stand Your Ground: "Under traditional English common law, one had a duty to retreat, not
stand your ground. Deadly force was justified only if no other
alternative was possible. One had to retreat, until retreat was no
longer possible, before killing an aggressor."
Safe Storage: "Guns had to be kept unloaded, a practice that made sense since the black
powder used in firearms in this period was corrosive. Loaded guns also
posed a particular hazard in cases of fire because they might discharge
and injure innocent bystanders and those fighting fires."
Loyalty Oaths: "In fact, the Founders engaged in large-scale disarmament of the civilian
population during the American Revolution. The right to bear arms was
conditional on swearing a loyalty oath to the government. Individuals
who refused to swear such an oath were disarmed."
http://theconversation.com/five-types-of-gun-laws-the-founding-fathers-loved-85364.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-five-types-of-gun-laws-the-founding-fathers-loved-85364-20171016-story.html
