▁bear ▁arms . ▁The ▁concept ▁of ▁such ▁a ▁right ▁existed ▁within ▁English ▁common ▁law ▁long ▁before ▁the ▁en act ment ▁of ▁the ▁Bill ▁of ▁Rights . ▁First ▁cod ified ▁in ▁the ▁English ▁Bill ▁of ▁Rights ▁of ▁ 1 6 8 9 ▁( but ▁there ▁only ▁applying ▁to ▁Protest ants ), ▁this ▁right ▁was ▁en sh r ined ▁in ▁fundamental ▁laws ▁of ▁several ▁American ▁states ▁during ▁the ▁Revolution ary ▁era , ▁including ▁the ▁ 1 7 7 6 ▁Virginia ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁Rights ▁and ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁Constitution ▁of ▁ 1 7 7 6 . ▁Long ▁a ▁controvers ial ▁issue ▁in ▁American ▁political , ▁legal , ▁and ▁social ▁disc ourse , ▁the ▁Second ▁Am end ment ▁has ▁been ▁at ▁the ▁heart ▁of ▁several ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁dec isions . ▁ ▁In ▁United ▁States ▁v . ▁Cru ik sh ank ▁( 1 8 7 6 ), ▁the ▁Court ▁ruled ▁that ▁"[ t ] he ▁right ▁to ▁bear ▁arms ▁is ▁not ▁granted ▁by ▁the ▁Constitution ; ▁neither ▁is ▁it ▁in ▁any ▁manner ▁dependent ▁upon ▁that ▁instrument ▁for ▁its ▁existence . ▁The ▁Second ▁Am end ment ▁means ▁no ▁more ▁than ▁that ▁it ▁shall ▁not ▁be ▁in fr ing ed ▁by ▁Congress , ▁and ▁has ▁no ▁other ▁effect ▁than ▁to ▁restrict ▁the ▁powers ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Government ." ▁ ▁In ▁United ▁States ▁v . ▁Miller ▁( 1 9 3 9 ), ▁the ▁Court ▁ruled ▁that ▁the ▁am end ment ▁"[ prote ct s ▁arms ▁that ▁had ▁a ] ▁reasonable ▁relationship ▁to ▁the ▁pres ervation ▁or ▁efficiency ▁of ▁a ▁well ▁reg