Gun Politics in America

This two-volume collection brings together 129 essential primary sources for understanding the history and evolution of gun rights and gun control in the USA from the colonial era to the present.

Every featured document is accompanied by explanatory materials that help readers understand the social and political context in which it appeared. Utilizing a blend of important political speeches, Supreme Court opinions, agency reports, and congressional testimony, this set provides readers with a front-row seat to observe the complex and often-surprising evolution of gun ownership, gun culture, and gun politics in the USA. This fascinating history is examined through primary source documents covering centuries of American history, from colonial laws regulating firearms, through the era of Prohibition and the rise of organized crime, to congressional hearings on gun control in the wake of the 2022 mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The set includes 19 new primary sources that shine a spotlight on notable events in the debate over guns since the first edition was published in 2016, including important developments during the first Trump presidency, the pandemic, and the opening years of the Biden administration.