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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."
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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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President Calvin Coolidge signs a bill that bans the shipment of firearms through the mail, unlessthe shipment is properly authorized.
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The NRA boasts more than 11 million members.
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Morton Grove, IL, becomes the first U.S. community to pass an ordinance banning both the possession and sale of handguns.
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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.
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The Law Enforcement Officers Protection Act makes it illegal to possess "cop killer" bullets capable ofpenetrating bulletproof clothing.
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President George H. W. Bush suspends importation of semi-automatic assault weapons.
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Following a January shooting spree in which five children were killed in Stockton, California, bya man with an AK-47, California becomes the first state to ban all assault weapons.
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Virginia's General Assembly approves a bill to allow concealed weapons in bars and restaurants thatserve alcohol.
