Background America’s pervasive gun culture stems in part from its colonial history, revolutionary roots, frontier expansion, and the Second Amendment, which states: “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.”Guns were common in the American Colonies, first for hunting and general self-protection and later as weapons in the American Revolutionary War. Several colonies’ gun laws required that heads of households, including women owned guns and that all able-bodied men could enroll in the militia and carry personal firearms. Some laws, including those in Connecticut (1643) and at least five other colonies, required “at least one adult man in every house to carry a gun to church or other public meetings” in order to protect against attacks by Native Americans; prevent theft of firearms from unattended homes; and, as a 1743 South Carolina law stated, safeguard against “insurrections and other wicked attempts of Negroes and other Slaves.” Other laws required immigrants to own guns in order to immigrate or own land. The Second Amendment of the US Constitution was ratified on Dec. 15, 1791. The notes from the Constitutional Convention do not mention an individual right to own a gun for self-defense. Some historians suggest that the idea of an individual versus a collective right would not have occurred to the Founding Fathers because the two were intertwined and inseparable: there was an individual right in order to fulfill the collective right of serving in the militia. Although guns were common in colonial and revolutionary America, so were gun restrictions. Laws included banning the sale of guns to Native Americans (though colonists frequently traded guns with Native Americans for goods such as corn and fur); banning indentured servants (mainly the Irish) and slaves from owning guns; and exempting a variety of professions from owning guns (including doctors, school masters, lawyers, and millers). A 1792 federal law required that every man eligible for militia service owned a gun and ammunition suitable for military service, report for frequent inspection of their guns, and register his gun ownership on public records. Many Americans owned hunting rifles or pistols instead of proper military guns, and even though the penalty fines were high (over $9,000 in 2018 dollars), they were levied inconsistently and the public largely ignored the law. Proponents Proponents of more gun control laws state that the Second Amendment was intended for militias; that gun violence would be reduced; that gun restrictions have always existed; and that a majority of Americans, including gun owners, support new gun restrictions. Opponents Opponents, however, argue that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to own guns; that guns are needed for self-defense from threats ranging from local criminals to foreign invaders; and that gun ownership deters crime rather than causes more crime. PromptWrite an argumentative essay in which you take a position either for gun control (pro) or against gun control (con) and argue your position by providing appropriate evidence and refuting the opposition position. You should only use sources and the databases from recognized universities’ libraries.Essay structure and OrganizationYour essay should have the following structure:Paragraph 1: Introduction Open your essay by presenting the issue of gun control. Follow this opening with succinct background information about the issue (why gun control is an issue). Discuss the impact of the issue of gun ownership and describe several significant points in the history and evolution of the issue. Close your introduction with an effective and arguable thesis statement that sums up your position on the issue.Transition to paragraph 2:Paragraph 2: The opposing position (Refutation/Objection)In this paragraph, present and acknowledge the opposing position, provide the opposing claim, reason, and the evidence. You need to cite at least two opposing sources. Then refute this position, arguing why it is not valid by evaluating the weaknesses in evidence.Transition to paragraph 3:Paragraph 3: Your position In this paragraph, present your claim, reasons, and evidence, citing at least two sources to validate your position. Use evidence that suits your claim (fact, policy, value). This paragraph should be at least the size of the previous paragraph or a bit longer if needed.Transition to paragraph 4:Paragraph 4: The neutral position (Compromise) — Argue for impartial advocates who agree with both sides of the equation with a compromise. In this paragraph, present and acknowledge the impartial advocate’s position, provide the claim for compromise, reason, and the evidence. You need to cite at least two compromise sources.
