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Second Amendment
The Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution is ratified. The SecondAmendment 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." -
"Black Codes"
Several southern states pass "black codes" to control newly-emancipated slaves. Some prohibit blackpeople from possessing firearms. -
NRA founded
Union Army officers Col. William C. Church and Gen. George Wingate found the National RifleAssociation (NRA) to "promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis." -
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1970's Gun Control Movement.
The assassinations of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Sen. Robert Kennedy fuel the passage of the GunControl Act. The Act prohibits the direct mail order of firearms and ammunition, regulates imported guns, expands record-keeping requirements and prevents convicted felons, mentally ill people, illegal drug users and others from buying guns. -
ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) is formed as a separate law enforcementorganization within the United States Department of Justice. -
The Firearms Owners' Protection Act
• The Firearms Owners' Protection Act eases some restrictions on gun and ammunition sales and allowspeople to buy rifles out of state. It also bans the manufacture, sale or ownership of machine guns. -
Brady Bill Law
President Bill Clinton signs the Brady Bill into law. Known as the Brady Handgun ViolencePrevention Act, this law imposes a five-day waiting period on the purchase of handguns and requires a background check by law enforcement officials on the purchasers of the guns. -
The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act
The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994bans the sale, manufacture, importation and possession of specific types of assault weapons for civilian use. -
Columbine
Teenagers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold kill a teacher and a dozen students at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. This tragedy fuels a new campaign on gun control. -
Expiration
The Federal Assault Weapons Ban, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1994,expires when President George W. Bush and Congress take no action before the ban's sunset date. -
Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act
The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act is signed into law by President George W. Bush onOct. 26, 2005. The law protects manufacturers and sellers from liability for unlawful misuse of their products and prohibits the sale of handguns unless the purchaser is provided with a secure gun storage or safety device. -
NICS
President George W. Bush signs the National Instant Check System (NICS) ImprovementAmendments Act of 2007 to keep guns out of the hands of people with a history of dangerous mental illness. This measure was enacted in reaction to the April 16, 2007 Virginia Tech massacre by Cho Seung-Hui. His name had not been entered into the background-check system after he was determined by a judge to be a danger to himself. -
Sandy Hook
A gunman enters Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut and fatally shoots26 people. Twenty of the victims are children. The shooting fuels new calls for changes in gun control legislation.
