In which document is the right to keep and bear arms explicitly mentioned?

The right to keep and bear arms is explicitly mentioned in the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights, which is part of the U.S. Constitution. The Second Amendment 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.” This amendment specifically addresses the rights related to firearms and has been the subject of extensive legal interpretation and discussion regarding individual rights versus public safety.

The Bill of Rights, which comprises the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was ratified in 1791 and was designed to protect individual liberties. The inclusion of the Second Amendment within this framework establishes a constitutional guarantee of this right, thus making it a crucial element of American political culture and law. Understanding this context is essential for grasping the significance of the amendment in contemporary debates over gun control and individual rights.

The other documents mentioned, such as the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation, do not address the issue of gun ownership or the right to bear arms. The Declaration primarily articulates the principles of individual liberty and government derived from the consent of the governed, while the Articles of Confederation focused on establishing a framework for governance but didn’t touch