Which amendment protects the right to bear arms?

The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution explicitly protects the right to bear arms. Ratified in 1791, this amendment states, "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." This provision has been the basis for significant legal interpretations and debates regarding individual gun ownership and regulation in the United States.

The First Amendment, while fundamental to American rights, pertains to freedoms such as speech, religion, and assembly rather than the right to bear arms. The Fourth Amendment deals with protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, ensuring the right to privacy for citizens. The Eighth Amendment addresses the prohibition of excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishments, with no relevance to the regulation or possession of firearms. Thus, the Second Amendment is clearly the one that enshrines the right to bear arms.