Index Past Use and Purpose of Guns Present Use and Purpose of Guns Future Use and Purpose of Guns Firearms have been an increasingly popular topic of late . This is due to the numerous mass shootings that have occurred, such as this year's school shooting in Florida. On February 14, 2018 in Parkland Florida, Nicholas Cruz took the innocent lives of nearly 17 young students. However, many others were also injured in the school shooting (Saggara, et. al., page 1, paragraphs 1-2). Such events caused a media overload, where numerous people commented on what should have been done and what must happen in the future to prevent such incidents from happening again. Although this is one of the most recent shootings, many other firearm-related incidents have occurred around the world. The right to bear arms was also another heated topic of discussion following these events. In America, bearing arms (owning guns) is one of the rights afforded to citizens. This is outlined in the Second Amendment, however, there are certainly restrictions that apply. One of those restrictions is that people with serious mental health issues cannot obtain a gun. While these laws are intact, receiving and owning a gun is quite simple. However, the purpose and use of firearms have changed dramatically in modern times. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay There are numerous benefits to owning a gun, which is partly why Americans are allowed to do so. Some of these benefits include protection and hunting. If gun rights were taken away, many people would be upset. While guns are a serious responsibility and not everyone should be afforded this right, guns fall into the wrong hands, which is why we see repeated problems related to them. Not surprisingly, gun ownership must follow many more restrictions than currently exist, as many Americans would agree. According to Junior Scholastic (2017): “Every year in this country we lose more than 36,000 Americans to gun violence. This is an average of 99 deaths per day due to firearms. These tragedies range from accidents and suicides to horrific mass shootings like the one that occurred at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, last June. No other democracy in the world experiences this level of gun violence. This is because other free nations have strict gun laws to address this problem. It is estimated that Americans own more than 300 million guns. Firearms certainly don't cause crimes, but the fact that they are so readily available makes crimes more deadly” (Junior Scholastic, page 1, par. 7-9). As we can conclude from this quote, there are numerous gun problems in America. Many of these guns are not purchased legally, hence most of the problems. Various efforts must be made to ensure that weapons are not completely taken away from civilians, because this would be immoral as well as unconstitutional. While combating such issues is quite complex in nature, there are certainly numerous steps the country could take to be safer with its guns. Among these ideas would be to limit the qualifications of gun owners, make penalties more severe, as well as education. Each of these steps could significantly help reduce problems like the shootings mentioned above. I once heard that there are more restrictions on selling candy than on buying a gun. This is a problemserious when selling baked goods is harder than buying a gun. While there are already numerous restrictions in this regard, there are obviously not enough of them. Penalties for gun ownership also need to be tightened to provide a deterrent to illegal gun sales. Many people simply sell these guns on the street to avoid the above qualifications. Sanctions for both sides must be tougher in efforts to combat such problems. And finally, gun violence education should be mandatory in all schools in the United States. This way, I believe we will see fewer issues related to these issues. Since firearms have been around since 1363, there have been fewer problems historically than in modern times (PBS, page 1, paragraph 2). We must look at the past, present and future of the use and purpose of weapons. This way, a clearer picture of these incidents and their causes will appear. Past Use and Purpose of Firearms The debate over when and where the first firearm was invented has perplexed historians for numerous years. As discussed above, PBS stated that the first gun was created in the year 1361. However, some historians claim that the first gun was introduced in 1320 by the Chinese. This first gun was called Chinese Fire Lances. These weapons were typically made of bamboo or metal, both of which were China's major exports and readily available to them as well (Harder, page 1, paragraph 3). There are numerous explanations available as to why China was seen as the first country to create firearms. According to Harder (2011): “It all started in China, where gunpowder was first created. In the 9th century, alchemists mixed charcoal, saltpeter and sulfur into a powder called huo yao, which was used to treat skin infections [source: Kit Meng]. Armies quickly learned that the powder could be used in bombs, mines and other weapons [source: McLean Brevard]. Gunpowder was transported to Europe in the 13th century, probably along the Silk Road trade routes through Central Asia. Rival nations refined their gunpowder recipes over the next few centuries before arriving at the optimal blend: about 75 percent saltpeter, 15 percent charcoal and 10 percent sulfur [source: Nolan]" (Harder, page 1, par. 2). Since China was responsible for the development of gunpowder, many historians argue that China was the first to produce firearms. As Harder announces in this article, firearms were invented exclusively for the battlefield. Especially the rethinking of the battlefield. Warring individuals wanted more concrete and precise ways to kill their adversaries, and since China was already in the midst of developing gunpowder, they realized that the same mechanisms behind the bombs would suit a more elegant design : the gun (Harder, page 1, paragraph 1). The use of weapons then spread to almost all countries in the world, making their use quite popular in all territories. Many were pleased with such innovations because they had the ability to provide numerous benefits to people. These new firearm inventions replaced obsolete weapons quite quickly. This was due more than anything to economic positions. This is based on the fact that being a skilled swordsman or archer in these times required lifelong devotion. However, just a few weeks or months could make one a skilled gunslinger. Not to mention that these other weapons often left individuals wounded, rather than killed, which resulted in expensive hospital costs, therefore, firearms seemed to be the most logical choiceto beat individuals right now (Harder, page 1, par. 6). Much of the early development of firearms focused on discovering accurate methods of igniting gunpowder and the design and accuracy of shots fired. Many of us are familiar with the term "lock, stock and barrel", this was established by firearms design. It represents the three first and main components of the gun. As we learned previously, the first gun originated in the 1300s, although the exact date is a mystery. However, in the 1400s matchlock was created. This gun consisted of all three of the above-mentioned components: lock, stock and barrel. These guns were also called hand cannons and used a slow match. This essentially means that they were equipped with a long, thin cord, or sometimes a chemically treated cord, so that when lit it could light up (Supica, page 1, paragraphs 8-10). As we can see by lookingIn the past, firearms were mainly used for warfare, a bit like today's times. However, mass shootings were not common during these times, as much as they are in modern times. Weapons today serve the same purpose as they did back then, although many advances have occurred since then. There are many more styles of weapons, and accuracy has also improved significantly. As explained above, we will analyze the current state of firearms next. Current Use and Purpose of Firearms As stated in the introduction, firearms are currently being used in inappropriate ways. Which involves mass shootings, as well as numerous reports of murders. While the number one use of firearms remains military, we are seeing other weapons begin to gain traction as well. This year, for example, Trump used missile strikes. In some cases, it is logical to assume that firearms were the gateway to more dangerous weapons. Not only are we experiencing problems in war due to these devices, but also in the misuse and power of weapons. In 2017 it was stated that deaths caused by firearms increased significantly. Not including suicide, there were approximately 15,549 firearm-related homicides in 2017. Not to mention that these were only the documented ones, proving that there were more than this figure. In 2016, data reveals that nearly 38,658 deaths (including suicide) were gun-related (The Trace, page 1, paragraphs 1-3). These numbers are extremely surprising. The reason this is so surprising is that many efforts have been made to reduce gun-related deaths, just as more efforts have been made to limit who can purchase firearms. Despite the many gun-related traumas occurring in America, guns are being produced more and more. Especially after mass shootings have occurred. For example, after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December 2012, the number of guns purchased doubled over the following year. This means that nearly 11 million firearms were purchased in the United States alone in 2013. While most of these weapons remain on American soil, approximately 400,000 have been exported this year alone (Horsley, page 1, para. 4-5). While a detailed list of these sales is not available to the general public, we need to consider where they are going. Many of them are used for security reasons, because as we all know the crime rate is increasing sharply in the United States. Many of these weapons produced are also purchased for hunting and military purposes. However, these overseas sales are highly dispersed. As mentioned previously,nearly 400,000 firearms were exported to numerous countries. These weapons could very likely be the same ones used during the war. It is quite plausible that these exported weapons are killing the same people who made them in war. No financial incentive should ever be so important as to push arms sales to other countries. The purpose of weapons today has increased significantly to become a financial and export incentive to the United States. According to Parson (2012): “The bipartisan Congressional Research Service reports that the United States “made $170 billion in arms sales between 2003 and 2012. 2010” with Russia not even in second place with $81 billion, while the United States dominated the international arms market with “$22 billion of a global total of $40 billion” in 2010” (Parson, page 1, para. 6). The United States is a leader in the production of firearms, and many of these also leave American soil. We can clearly see that the purpose of firearms has changed dramatically since they were invented. The weapons are not only intended to protect citizens of the United States, but also of other countries. I am sure that many individuals would argue that this is unfair, because these same weapons most likely kill soldiers in battle. In my opinion, countries should create and purchase firearms from their homelands and not rely on exported equipment. The use and purposes of firearms have changed significantly since the 1300s. And in my opinion, mass shootings could be the cause and effect of these situations. For example, it was often claimed that these shootings were organized by the government. Which very likely could be true, since gun sales have soared after such cases. However, on the other hand, citizens may simply be more scared of these incidents and simply want reinforcements. However, the use of weapons is different than in the past. Future use and purpose of weapons Although the future is not easy to predict, especially regarding the use of weapons, we can nevertheless make some assumptions about the situation. There are several ways the gun situation in America could go. On the one hand, firearms could be completely removed from citizens, on the other they could remain a constitutional right. With the increasing number of mass shootings occurring, many people have been contemplating what action to take. In essence, neither choice is easy to make. If firearms were banned, many individuals would no longer have the safety or sense they have now. According to Ferydouni (2018): The concept of protecting oneself using guns is still applicable in modern society, along with the concept of government failing to protect its citizens, as seen with local police and the FBI in Parkland failing they respond as they should to what a mass shooting would be (Ferydouni, page 1, para. 14). As we can see, Americans rely heavily on guns to protect themselves, because our governments are shaky and given little trust to protect us. Additionally, if individuals' homes are broken into or physically attacked, it will be more difficult for them to respond. If the government turns against them, they will have nothing to stop them with. Because, let's face it, guns will not be outlawed for these individuals, but only for civilians. This is a fear that many Americans have, although some say it is paranoia, it is important to consider such situations. On the other hand, if firearms were allowed in civilian homes, how many more cases of mass murder would there be.