What amendment is the right to bear arms?

The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution covers the right to bear arms. However, its meaning is controversial. One camp believes the amendment applies only if states enact legislation, while the other major camp says that the amendment provides individual rights to bear arms, according to Cornell University Law School.

The collective rights theory purports that individuals lack rights to own guns. It says that local, state and federal governments have the power to pass legislation that controls firearms without violating the Constitution. Congress passed the Second Amendment on September 25, 1789. It was ratified on December 15, 1791, and is part of the Bill of Rights.