Federal
Permanent URL for this collectionhttps://dspace.firearmsresearchcenter.org/id/frc0001/3481
Federal
This institutional hub aggregates FRC holdings related to the United States federal government. It supports research on firearms history, technology, law, policy, regulation, and national culture from the founding era to the present.
- Legal and regulatory sources: U.S. Code, Statutes at Large, Code of Federal Regulations, Federal Register, agency rules and guidance (e.g., ATF, DOJ), Office of Legal Counsel opinions, and federal judicial decisions.
- Historical materials: congressional records, executive and departmental files, procurement and ordnance reports, patents, manufacturer and contractor records, photographs, maps, and oral histories tied to federal programs and facilities.
- Research outputs: technical reports, academic studies, training manuals, and curated datasets relevant to federal firearms governance and industry.
Cite the Firearms Research Center and the item’s handle/DOI when using materials. Rights and licensing vary by item.
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Item type:Item, U.S. Const. art. I, § 8, cl. 15(1789)Gave Congress power "To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions."Item type:Item, Articles of Confederation of 1781, art. IX(1781)Under a federal requisition, the state legislature had the duty to "raise the men and cloath, arm and equip them in a soldier like manner," with the Confederation Congress paying the expense.Item type:Item, Articles of Confederation of 1781, art. VI(1781)Every state was obliged to "always keep up a well regulated and disciplined militia, sufficiently armed and accoutered."Item type:Item, Dick Act of 1903, ch. 196, § 1, 32 Stat. 775, 775(1903)This militia consisted of all able-bodied male citizens between 18 and 45 years of age, and also aliens who have declared intent to naturalize. The "organized militia" was the National Guard of the several States. Everyone else was part of the "reserve militia," which later statutes labeled the "unorganized militia."Item type:Item, Gun Control Act of 1968, Pub. L. No. 99-308, 100 Stat. 449, 450(1968)Required all persons "engaged in the business" of selling firearms to obtain a Federal Firearms License. An FFL may not deliver a handgun to a person under 21, or a rifle or shotgun to a person under 18.Item type:Item, U.S. Const. art. I, § 8, cl. 16(1789)Gave Congress the power to provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress.Item type:Item, Uniform Militia Act of 1792, ch. 33, § 1, 1 Stat. 271, 271-72(1792)That each and every free able-bodied white male citizen of the respective States, resident therein, who is or shall be of age of eighteen years, and under the age of forty-five years (except as is herein after excepted) shall severally and respectively be enrolled in the militia, by the Captain or Commanding Officer of the company, within whose bounds such citizen shall reside, and that within twelve months after the passing of this Act. And it shall at all time hereafter be the duty of every such Captain or Commanding Officer of a company, to enroll every such citizen as aforesaid, and also those who shall, from time to time, arrive at the age of 18 years, or being at the age of 18 years, and under the age of 45 years (except as before excepted) shall come to reside within his bounds; and shall without delay notify such citizen of the said enrollment, by the proper non-commissioned Officer of the company, by whom such notice may be proved. That every citizen, so enrolled and notified, shall, within six months thereafter, provide himself with a good musket or firelock, a sufficient bayonet and belt, two spare flints, and a knapsack, a pouch, with a box therein, to contain not less than twenty four cartridges, suited to the bore of his musket or firelock, each cartridge to contain a proper quantity of powder and ball; or with a good rifle, knapsack, shot-pouch, and powder- horn, twenty balls suited to the bore of his rifle, and a quarter of a pound of powder; and shall appear so armed, accoutred and provided, when called out to exercise or into service, except, that when called out on company days to exercise only, he may appear without a knapsack. That the commissioned Officers shall severally be armed with a sword or hanger, and espontoon; and that from and after five years from the passing of this Act, all muskets from arming the militia as is herein required, shall be of bores sufficient for balls of the eighteenth part of a pound; and every citizen so enrolled, and providing himself with the arms, ammunition and accoutrements, required as aforesaid, shall hold the same exempted from all suits, distresses, executions or sales, for debt or for the payment of taxes.Item type:Item, Act of May 8, 1792, 1 Stat. 271(1792)The first Militia Act, used by Congress to mandate who must be enrolled within the militia.Item type:Item, An Act To Prohibit the Manufacture, Distribution, Storage, Use, and Possession in Time of War of Explosives, Proving Regulations for the Safe Manufacture, Distribution, Storage, Use, and Possession of the Same, and for Other Purposes, 40 Stat. 385 (1917)(1917)Ch. 83: During war, prohibited the manufacture, distribution, storage, use, possession of powder, explosives, blasting supplies, or ingredients thereof in such a manner detrimental to the public safety.Item type:Item, National Firearms Act, 48 Stat. 1236 (1934)(1934)Heavily regulated the use of Machine Guns, Short Barrel Shotguns, Short Barrel Rifles, Suppressors, etc. Also established a $200 tax stamp for registration purposes.Item type:Item, 27 Stat. 116-17, ch. 159 (July 13, 1892)(1892)Prohibited concealed carry of deadly or dangerous weapons in the District of Columbia such as daggers, air-guns, pistols, Bowie-knives, dirk-knives, dirks, blackjacks, razors, razor blades, sword-canes, slung-shots, brass knuckles, other metal knuckles. Also banned the sale of deadly weapons to minors. Vendors were required to be licensed.Item type:Item, Federal Firearms Act, 52 Stat. 1250-51 (1938)(1938)Prohibited any person who has been convicted of a "crime of violence or is a fug[a]tive from justice" from receiving "any firearm or ammunition" which has been shipped in interstate commerce.Item type:Item, 1 Fed. Reg. 668, 674, National Park Service Rules and Regulations (1936)(1936)§ 8: Prohibited firearms, explosives, traps, seines, and nets within the parks and monuments under federal control.Item type:Item, Civil Rights Act of 1871(1871)Discussion of the law and amendments in Congress used by the Court in DC v Heller to further instruct on the "well-known constitutional provision guaranteeing the right of the citizen to 'keep and bear arms,' and provides that whoever shall take away, by force or violence, r by threats and intimidation, the arms and weapons which any person may have for his defense, shall be deemed guilty of larceny of the same."Item type:Item, Cong. Globe, 39th Cong., 1st Sess., at 908-909(1866)Decree by General D.E. Sickles pre-empting South Carolina's Black Codes: Guaranteed the constitutional rights of all loyal and well-disposed inhabitants to bear arms will not be infringed. Did not construe to sanction carrying concealed weapons, or the carrying of weapons by disorderly persons, vagrants, or disturbers of the peace.Item type:Item, Civil Rights Act of 1866 CHAP. XXXI.-An Act to protect all Persons in the United States in their Civil Rights, and furnish the Means of their Vindication.(1866)Guaranteed "full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for the security of person and property, as is enjoyed by white citizens. Used by the Court to show language virtually identical to the Freedman's Bureau Act and covered the same rights.Item type:Item, 14 Stat. 176 (1866)(1868)§ 14: Reaffirmed that freedmen were entitled to "full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings concerning personal liberty [and] personal security . . . including the constitutional right to keep and bear arms."