European styles of dueling established themselves in the colonies of European states in North America . Duels were to challenge someone over a woman or to defend one 's honor . In the US , dueling was used to deal with political differences and disputes and was the subject of an unsuccessful amendment to the United States Constitution in 1838 . It was fairly common for politicians at that time in the United States to end disputes through duels , such as the Burr – Hamilton duel and the Jackson-Dickinson duel . Dueling has become outdated in the north since the early-19th century . Dueling in the US was not uncommon in the south and west , even after 1859 , when 18 states outlawed it , but it became a thing of the past in the United States by the start of the 20th century . To this day , anyone sworn into any statewide or county office or judgeship in Kentucky must declare under oath that he or she has not participated in , acted as a second or otherwise assisted in a duel
Burr – Hamilton duel
Burr–Hamilton duel
Duel