Despite constitutional guarantees, groups such as blacks and women have had to struggle, over two centuries, to claim their constitutional rights. Later amendments would strengthen and clarify individual rights. The issue of how the Bill of Rights is interpreted is never far from the center of controversy in American life. The Second Amendment guarantees the right to keep and bear arms. Since gun control issues are a hot topic in America, there is much debate on how far this right reaches.
Some people believe they have the right to personally carry weapons.
Others believe in more restrictive interpretations of the Amendment. The Fourth Amendment protects persons and homes from unreasonable searches and seizures. The Sixth Amendment provides the right to a speedy trial by a jury and various other protections to people accused of crimes. The Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. The Fourteen Amendment, enacted after the Civil War in 1866 added certain protections against governmental control of individuals, guaranteeing all citizens equal protection of the law and due process.