The pioneers strongly believed that the armed citizen constituted the foundation of a free republic. In the New World, the settlers with their new-won freedom, fiercely rejected such restrictions. They had been restricted from owning weapons back in the Old World. As a result, the first European settlers of America brought with them a constant suspicion of government and central authority. In order to avoid popular insurrection and resistance to the government, different measures were often used to disarm certain elements of the population. In Europe, the citizens had been politically and religiously oppressed. The symbolic effect of the gun was also significant. In other words, the whole security of the country depended upon the individual arming of citizens. A militia consisting of the whole population would prevent this. Standing armies were believed to be dangerous to liberty, because too much power would be concentrated in only a few hands. In addition, the military defense of America was based on a militia system where every citizen was a soldier, and every soldier was obliged to provide his own gun. They needed it for hunting, but also for protection against Native Americans. Consequently, it would also be impossible to comprehend the intricacy of the current debate and the divisive effect it has on the people.Īs the pioneers settled in America and slowly filled up the East Coast, the gun became more and more essential for their existence. Without a historical basis, it would be impossible to understand America’s love affair with firearms. This is also important when it comes to the American gun debate. In order to understand the world we are living in today, we often explain the present by pointing to the past.
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