How Has the Second Amendment Been Interpreted?

Dear John,

Over the summer, President Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a measure to try to reduce gun violence. Debates over the meaning of the Second Amendment and legislation relating to firearms have a long history. By engaging with this history we come to a better understanding of the debate today!

Explore our How Has the Second Amendment Been Interpreted? lesson to review and analyze the text of the Second Amendment and the Supreme Court case of District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) with your students. They can also use this lesson to explore the different sides of the gun control debates and analyze the constitutionality of different laws relating to gun ownership.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LESSON

Supplemental Video

For a quick review of the history of the Second Amendment, check out our latest Homework Help video on our YouTube channel! Explore the history of the Second Amendment and the Supreme Court interpretations of it that shape current discussions on the topic of gun control.

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Student Opportunity

Get your students into dialogue with students from around the country! Encourage their participation in our Think the Vote debate platform.

The current question is: Should Congress pass further legislation to increase restrictions on firearms? Students have from September 8th-September 21st to answer. Winners are picked on both sides and BRI awards prizes for the best answers.

Constitution Day Live

Celebrate the 235th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution with BRI! Our annual free webinar Constitution Day Live will be available through YouTube from 11AM-2PM on Friday, September 16th and will feature several guest speakers. The theme this year: The Constitution at Work. Sign up here to have Constitution Day resources emailed directly to you!

Featured Resources

Our digital textbook Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness is designed to meet the course needs of a yearlong U.S. History or AP U.S. History class. The history of the United States is presented through a series of narratives, primary sources, and point-counterpoint debates that invites students to participate in the ongoing conversation about the American experiment.

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