FRC Jurisdictions Portal

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This top community organizes Firearms Research Center holdings by jurisdiction. It provides separate collections for U.S. states, territories, the District of Columbia, and the federal jurisdiction, spanning the territorial period to the present.

Scope of Content

Legal sources: statutes and session laws, administrative code, attorney general opinions, appellate decisions, and selected municipal ordinances.
Historical materials: newspapers, photographs, maps, catalogs, company records, and oral histories tied to specific places and periods.
Research outputs: FRC reports, datasets, and interpretive materials that contextualize legal and technical developments.

How to Use

Browse: open a jurisdiction collection to view items for that state, territory, DC, or the federal jurisdiction.
Search: use keywords and filter by Jurisdiction, Date Issued, and Category. Record any Exceptions noted for applicability.
Cite: use the item’s identifier and provided links (Original Source and Duke reference) when available.

Metadata & Standards

Items are described using Dublin Core with standardized fields for Jurisdiction, Date Issued, Category, and Exceptions to support precise discovery and comparison.

Questions

For questions about coverage, rights, or submissions, contact the Firearms Research Center (firearmsresearchcenter.org).

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Now showing 1 - 40 of 54

Wash. Const. art. 1, § 24
(1889)
The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the State, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.
Vt. Const. ch. 1, § XV
(1777)
Declared a right to bear arms for the defence of themselves and the state.
Utah Const. art. I, § 6 (1896)
(1896)
Declared a right of the people to keep and bear arms for their security and defense, but the legislature may regulate the exercise of the right.
Tex. Const., Art. I, § 13
(1845)
Declared every citizen "shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defence of himself and the State"
Tenn. Const. of 1796, art. XI, § 26
(1796)
Provided that the freemen of the state have a right to keep and bear arms for their common defense.
9 Stat. at Large of S.C. 633 (1841)
(1721)
"Acts relating to the Militia," Stateutes at Large of South Carolina No. 440: Required that master or mistress provide "every white male servant or servants… at the term and exdpirtation of his or their srvice be freed and discharged shall be provided with such good and sufficient arms, ammunition, and accoutrments, as by this act is directed..."
23 W. Clark, State Records of North Carolina 63 (1904)
(1715)
Ch. 46, An Act Concerning Servants & Slaves: Directed "that every Christian Servant shall be allowed by their Master or Mistress at the expitation of his or her time of srvice Three Barrells of Indyan Corn & two new Suits of Apparrel of the Value of Five ounds at leasr or in liey of one suit of Apparrel a good well-fixed Gun, if he bwe a Manservant."
Mont. Const. of 1889 art. III, § 13
(1889)
The right of any person to keep or bear arms in defense of his own home, person, and property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall not be called in question, but nothing herein contained shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons
Mo. Const. of 1820 art. XIII, § 3
(1820)
Declared that the right of the People to bear arms in defence of themselves and of the state shall not be questioned.
Miss. Const. art. I, § 23
(1817)
Declared every citizen has a right to bear arms in defence of himself and the State.
Me. Const. of 1819, art. I, § 16
(1819)
Provided that every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms for the common defense, and the right shall never be questioned.
Ark. Const. art. II, § 21 (1836)
(1836)
Establishes the right to keep and bear arms for "the free white men of this State."
The First Charter of Virginia (1606)
(1606)
Granted subjects all liberties, franchises, and immunities of free denizens. Also granted subjects the right to take, load, carry, transport armour, weapons, ordinances, muniiton, poweder, shott, victuals,and "all other things" necessary for the use and defense of the people.
3 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 403 (1823)
(1705)
Ch. 49: An act concerning Servants and Slaves: Directed masters at completion of indenture to provide to male servants "one well fixed musket or fuzee, of the value of twenty shillings, at least"
13 William Waller Hening, Stat. at Large; Being a Collection of all the Laws of Virginia 355 (1823)
(1792)
An act for regulating the militia of this Commonwealth: "All arms, ammunition, and equipments of the militia, shall be exempted from executions and distresses at all times?"
Tex. Const. of 1876, Art. I, § 23
(1876)
Declared every citizen to have the right to bear arms in defense of themselves or the state, but the legislature shall have power to regulate the bearing of arms to prevent crime.
Tex. Const., Art. I, § 13 (1869)
(1869)
Declared everyone shall have the right to keep and bear arms, subject to regulations as the legislature "may prescribe."
Tenn. Const. of 1870, art. I, § 26
(1870)
Declared the citizens have a right to keep and bear arms, but that the legislature shall have the power to regulate the wearing of arms to prevent crime.
Tenn. Const. art. I, § 26
(1831)
Establishes the right to keep and bear arms for the "free white men of this State."
A Handbook of Politics for 1868, at 36 (1868)
(1866)
Order of General Sickles, Disregarding the Code, January 17, 1866 – General Order No. 1, § 16: The constitutional rights of all loyal and well-disposed inhabitants to bear arms will not be infringed; nevertheless this shall not be construed to sanction the unlawful practice of carrying concealed weapons, nor to authorize any person to enter with arms on the premises of another against his consent. No one shall bear arms who has borne arms against the United Stales, unless he shall have taken the amnesty oath prescribed in the proclamation of the President of the United States, dated May 20, 1865, or the oath of allegiance, prescribed in the proclamation of the President, dated December 8, 1863, within the time prescribed therein. And no disorderly person, vagrant, or disturber of the peace, shall be allowed to bear arms."
1776 PA. CONST., Declaration of Rights, § XIII
(1776)
Declared a right to bear arms for the defence of themselves and the state.
1868 Or. Gen. Laws 18-19, An Act to Protect the Owners of Firearms, §§ 1-2.
(1868)
Every white male citizen of this state above the age of sixteen years, shall be entitled to have, hold, and keep, for his own use and defense, the following firearms, to wit: either or any one of the following-named guns, and one revolving pistol: a rifle, shot-gun (double or single barrel), yager, or musket; the same to be exempt from execution, in all cases, under the laws of Oregon. § 2. No officer, civil or military, or other person, shall take from or demand of the owner any fire-arms mentioned in this act, except where the services of the owner are also required to keep the peace or defend the state.
Ohio Const. of 1802, art. VIII, §20
(1802)
Declared the People have a right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and the state. That Standing armies are dangeorus in time of peace, and shall not be kept up.
N.C. Const. of 1875, art. I, § 24
(1875)
Reiterated the terms of the US second amendment. Included a second portion declaring that standing armies are dangerous to liberty and ought not to be kept up. A third section declared that nothing herein contained shall justify carrying concealed weapons or prevent the legislature from enacting penal statutes against said practice.
N.C. Const. art I, § 30
(1776)
Declared a right to bear arms in defense of the state, and that standing armies are dangerous to liberty in times of peace and shall not be "kept up."
1909 N.Y. Laws ch. 14, § 4
(1909)
Enacted the Second Amendment as statutory law in the state of New York.
1856 N.H. Laws 1781-82
(1856)
Ch. 1870: Resolved that possession of Bowie-knives and revolvers was necessary for the right to freedom of speech, due to attacks on abolitionists in the South.
The Charter of New England (1620)
(1620)
Granted subjects all liberties, franchises, and immunities of free denizens. Also granted subjects the right to take, load, carry, transport armour, weapons, ordinances, muniiton, poweder, shott, victuals,and "all other things" necessary for the use and defense of the people.
Mo. Const. of 1875 art. II, § 17
(1875)
The right of no citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person, and property, or in aid of the civil power, when thereto legally summoned, shall be called into question. But nothing herein is intended to justify the practice of wearing concealed weapons.
Miss. Const. of 1890 art. III, § 12
(1890)
The right of every citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person or property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall not be called in question, but the legislature may regulate or forbid carrying concealed weapons.
The Massachusetts Resolves (Oct. 29, 1765), reprinted in Prologue to Revolution: Sources and Documents on the Stamp Act Crisis, 1764-1766, at 56 (E. Morgan ed. 1959)
(1765)
Resolved that Massachusetts subjects have the same rights as are present and essential for natural born subjects.
1780 Mass. Const. art. XVII, pt. 1
(1780)
Declared a right to bear arms for the common defense, and that standing armies are dangerous to liberty in times of peace and shall not be maintained without the consent of the legislature.
2 John Leeds Bozman, History of Maryland 116 (1837) (enacted 1639)
(1639)
Gave the inhabitants of Maryland, who are Christians, all rights, liberties, immunities, privileges, and free customs as naturally born Englishmen.
26 Archives of Maryland 256 (1906)
(1704)
An Act relating to Servants and Slaves: "that every Man Servant shall at such time of expiration of his as aforesaid have allowed and given him..one Ax and one Gunne of twenty shillings price not above four foot by the barrell nor less than three and an half which said Gunn shall by the Master or Mistress in the presence of the ext Justice of the peace be delivered to such ffreeman under the penalty of five hundred pounds of Tobacco on such Master or Mistress omitting so to do and the like penalty on the said ffreeman selling or disposing thereof within the Space of twelve months..."
La. Const. of 1879 art. III
(1879)
Provided the right to bear arms, but authorizes the passage of laws restricting the carrying of concealed weapons.
William Blackstone, 1 Commentaries on the Laws of England 104 (1847)
(1765)
Discussed "the fifth and last auxiliary right", that Englishmen shall have arms for their defence. "Suitable to their condition and degree, and such as are allowed by law.
English Bill of Rights of 1689, 1 W. & M, c. 2,§ 6
(1689)
Provided a right for Protestants to have "Arms for their Defense . . . as allowed by law."
English Bill of Rights of 1689, 1 W. & M. c. 2,§ 7
(1689)
Provided a right for Protestants to have "Arms for their Defense . . . as allowed by law."
Ky. Const. of 1792 art. XII,§ 23
(1792)
Declared the right of citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and of the State shall not be questioned.
Ky. Const. of 1891,§ 1(7)
(1891)
The right to bear arms in defense of themselves and of the State, subject to the power of the General Assembly to enact laws to prevent persons from carrying concealed weapons.

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