Unlike most of "civilized" Europe, the standing army removed the need for citizen militias, thus the need for personal liberty. Sweden (I think) and maybe Finland has kept its martial culture enough to only have some silly rules for arms, but their laws are screwy.

The US being frontiersmen and entrepreneurs did not have the patience for such childish "civility". Not till post 1920s when the system slowly ramped up wholesale corruption. 

Economics, the corporate state and law against arms pacified Americans to make them "civil".

We are lost in a sea of tyranny, with few chances of respite... even now the courts choose whim over law.... oh well.... humanity is never really lost, it's just always retarded.... sigh 

(I was learning disabled in the 80s I can say the word :P)