The Second Amendment Primer : A Citizen's Guidebook to the History, Sources, and Authorities for the Constitutional Guarantee of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms

Overview: A simple guide to understanding your Second Amendment freedoms. So much of the debate about the Second Amendment is in scholarly journals and academic papers written by scholars and judges, or directed towards other scholars, law professors, attorneys, and judges. Trying to wade through the extensive footnotes and references to legal cases and historical precedents known only to the academic elite is more than enough to make anyone feel hopeless. With The Second Amendment Primer, Les Adams finally provides an accessible discussion of the Second Amendment. It is a "primer" because it is elementary. Chronologically arranged, it traces the development of the right to keep and bear arms from its birth in ancient Greece to its addition in the U.S. Constitution. Supplemental essays discuss the Second Amendment's interpretation in today's world from the viewpoints of both firearms enthusiasts as well as those who would limit the amendment's purview. Although The Second Amendment Primer is aimed at the average reader, Adams's facts are detailed and well-documented. Reference margin notes, an extensive bibliography, and a comprehensive subject index showcase the author's research and show more curious readers how to continue on their path to understanding exactly what the Second Amendment is saying. Using this "citizen's guide" as a stepping stone, anyone can become a successful scholar of the right to bear arms. Foreword Introduction Early expressions of the right in ancient times Expressions of the right in sixteenth to eighteenth-century continental Europe Development and declaration of the right in England Development and declaration of the right in America: Drafting and ratification of the Bill of Rights in the Colonial Period Selection of Second Amendment commentary appearing in the popular press in Colonial times State of the law Selection of contemporary commentary Final word Appendix: Second Amendment and the personal right to arms / William Van Alstyne Embarrassing Second Amendment / Sanford Levinson Nation of cowards / Jeffrey R Snyder Biographical profiles of quoted authorities Notes Twentieth-century bibliography Acknowledgments Index.