▁an ▁official ▁national ▁church ▁or ▁favor ing ▁one ▁set ▁of ▁religious ▁belief s ▁over ▁another . ▁The ▁am end ment ▁guarante es ▁an ▁individual ' s ▁right ▁to ▁express ▁and ▁to ▁be ▁exposed ▁to ▁a ▁wide ▁range ▁of ▁opinions ▁and ▁views . ▁It ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁ensure ▁a ▁free ▁exchange ▁of ▁ideas , ▁even ▁un pop ular ▁ones . ▁ ▁It ▁also ▁guarante es ▁an ▁individual ' s ▁right ▁to ▁phys ically ▁gather ▁or ▁associate ▁with ▁others ▁in ▁groups ▁for ▁economic , ▁political ▁or ▁religious ▁purposes . ▁ ▁Additionally , ▁it ▁guarante es ▁an ▁individual ' s ▁right ▁to ▁pet ition ▁the ▁government ▁for ▁a ▁red ress ▁of ▁gr iev ances . ▁ ▁The ▁Second ▁Am end ment ▁( 1 7 9 1 ) ▁ ▁protect s ▁the ▁right ▁of ▁individuals ▁to ▁keep ▁and ▁bear ▁arms . ▁Although ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁has ▁ruled ▁that ▁this ▁right ▁applies ▁to ▁individuals , ▁not ▁merely ▁to ▁collect ive ▁milit ias , ▁it ▁has ▁also ▁held ▁that ▁the ▁government ▁may ▁reg ulate ▁or ▁place ▁some ▁limits ▁on ▁the ▁manufact ure , ▁ownership ▁and ▁sale ▁of ▁fire ar ms ▁or ▁other ▁weapons . ▁Request ed ▁by ▁several ▁states ▁during ▁the ▁Constitution al ▁rat ification ▁deb ates , ▁the ▁am end ment ▁reflected ▁the ▁ling ering ▁res ent ment ▁over ▁the ▁w ides p read ▁efforts ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁to ▁conf isc ate ▁the ▁colon ists ' ▁fire ar ms ▁at ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁Revolution ary ▁War . ▁ ▁Patrick ▁Henry ▁had ▁r het or ically ▁asked