美国宪法第二修正案

美国宪法第二修正案（英语：Second Amendment to the United States Constitution）是美国权利法案之一，并于1791年12月15日正式通过，它保障人民持有和携带武器的权利，亦即公民享有正当防卫的公民权利。

历史

第一批乘坐“五月花号”到达北美大陆的欧洲移民正是依靠枪械等武器才得以在这片土地上落地生根，在猛兽和印第安人的包围中，武器成为每个人安身立命的工具。此后，北美十三州逐渐成形，因为没有常备的政府军，各州都依靠民兵进行自我防卫，州政府也逐渐介入到武器管理中，部分州政府甚至会对没有武器的居民进行处罚。随着独立战争的打响，民兵的影响力进一步扩大，正是这些拥有武器的平民和英军作战8年，并成功赢得独立战争。建国后，当1789年美国宪法的“权利法案”由国会议员提出时，“持有和携带武器”的权利被自然而然的写入其中，并于1791年被批准正式生效。为了限制强势的专制政府，防止政府权力膨胀进而侵犯公民权力，赋予公民反抗的武器，也是这条法案重要内在精神，俗谓“枪权天授”。

内容

“ A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. ”

• 译文：纪律良好的民兵队伍，对于一个自由国家的安全实属必要；人民持有和携带武器的权利，不得予以侵犯

美国宪法第二修正案手写复本，裁切自1789年美国权利法案

时任美国国务卿的托马斯·杰斐逊认可的内容如下，与原文相比，字句相同但是断句与部分文字大小写不同：

“ A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. ”

法院裁决

在2008年及2010年，美国联邦最高法院分别做出了两个与本修正案有关的指标性判决。在哥伦比亚特区诉黑勒案（District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008)）中，联邦最高法院判决认为，第二修正案保障个人拥有枪枝的权利，不论该人是否属于民兵皆然。并且可以基于合法的目的使用该等武器，诸如在屋内自我防卫。在麦克唐纳诉芝加哥案（McDonald v. Chicago, 561 U.S. 3025 (2010)）中，法院判决第二修正案不仅拘束联邦政府，对于州政府和地方政府同样具有拘束力。

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参见

• 枪械
• 枪械管制
• 美国枪支政策
• 美国全国步枪协会
• 正当防卫
• 持枪权