Note: Mr. Bellesiles, author of Arming America, is deeply involved in promoting gun control, while claiming to be a caring gun owner. His "research" was used in several anti-freedom briefs in U.S. v. Emerson.
Updated 2/7/03! The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals cited research by former proffessor Bellesiles in their anti-Second Amendment ruling. Upon having it pointed out that Bellesiles' research has been discredited, Justice Reinhardt had to scrub the Bellesiles references from his ruling.
Updated 1/9/03! Bellesiles Lost his Bancroft Award and resigned from Emory after problems were found (yet again) by an independent panel of experts. Now his book publisher, Knopf, has decided to discontinue publishing of his book. Goodbye!
Were Guns Scarce in Early America?
Answering Bellesiles's Claims
"If this now flourishing City, and greatly improving Colony, is destroy'd and ruin'd,
it will not be for want of Numbers of Inhabitants able to bear Arms in its defence.
'Tis computed that we have at least (exclusive of Quakers) 60,000 Fighting Men,
acquainted with Fire-Arms, many of them Hunters and Marksmen, hardy and bold."
Benjamin Franklin (1747), B.F. Papers, vol. III, p.202"As for Michael Bellesiles ... this guy is turning out to be the Milli Vanilli of the academic community."
Russell Baker of Atlanta, GA in a great e-mail now quoted in the Washington Times 1/01/02"Bellesiles' dubious scholarship won't provide the foundation for some
landmark decision by the Supreme Court." [emphasis added]
Roger Franklin (a gun control supporter) in
Historian wounded as theory backfiresHOT! ! ! BELLESILES' PUBLISHER TO DISCONTINUE SELLING 'ARMING AMERICA' (ASSOCIATED PRESS 1/7/03)
HOT! ! ! SAF APPLAUDS COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY FOR WITHDRAWING BANCROFT PRIZE (12/16/02)
Flashback: SAF DEMANDS REVOCATION OF BANCROFT AWARD FROM DISCREDITED AUTHOR (10/28/02)
HOT! ! ! Bellesiles's Case Shows Need For Institutional Reform In Bancroft Committee And Columbia History Department. (COLUMBIA COLLEGE CONSERVATIVE CLUB 12/18/02)
HOT! ! ! An academic comeuppance: Attempt to use a history book's claims for political ends has backfired. (Omaha World-Herald 12/17/02)
HOT! ! ! Prized, No Longer: Columbia University rescinds Michael Bellesiles’s Bancroft Prize. (National Review 12/17/02)
HOT! ! ! Columbia rescinds prize for controversial book on guns. (Cleveland Plain-Dealer 12/17/02)
HOT! ! ! What Is Knopf Waiting For? (The History News Network 12/16/02)
HOT! ! ! Columbia's Board of Trustees Votes to Rescind the 2001 Bancroft Prize. (Columbia News 12/16/02)
HOT! ! ! Book on guns stripped of prize. (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 12/15/02)
HOT! ! ! Prize for Book Is Taken Back From Historian (New York Times 12/14/02)
HOT! ! ! Columbia Rescinds History Prize for Book: History Prize Rescinded for Controversial Book About Guns in the United States (ABC News 12/13/02)
HOT! ! ! History prize rescinded for controversial book about guns. (Newsday 12/13/02)
HOT! ! ! NINTH CIRCUIT COURT RULING CITES BELLESILES. (Press Release 12/06/02)
HOT! ! ! The Ninth Circus Court of Appeals Once Again Demonstrates Its Scholarship (Clayton Cramer)
HOT! ! ! Judge Reinhardt's Incredibly Ignorant Decision About the Second Amendment (Clayton Cramer)
HOT! ! ! Debate: Should Librarians Remove Bellesiles's Book from the Shelves? (The History News Network 11/25/02)
Flashback: Do We Need Warning Labels For Lies In The Library? (Independence Institute 4/17/02)
HOT! ! ! The disarming of a bogus scholar: Historian Michael Bellisles' claim that few early Americans owned guns struck a chord with Second Amendment haters. But then others checked his 'facts.' (The Orange County Register, 11/24/02)
HOT! ! ! Despite attacks on his scholarship, professor defends gun history book. (The Chicago Tribune, 11/20/02)
HOT! ! ! Organizations will consider taking away Bellesiles' awards. (The Emory Wheel 11/19/02)
More coverage after these few paragraphs....
Several folks claiming to be unbiased historians and scholars are now alleging that guns were not widely available in either the colonies, during the Revolutionary War, or in Early America. Part of the basis for their claims is that estates seldom mentioned firearms.
This ignores the fact that the vast majority of folks didn't have wills back then, or that such records ignore the transfer of guns before death and the taking of items from the home after death. Furthermore, firearms were often not named as property for distribution after death.
A great example is that Thomas Jefferson, a known gun owner, had no guns listed in his will. Yet somehow, they were passed to family and friends and two are displayed at Monticello. See Stephen Halbrook's letter to the editor here.
This also ignores the fact that many Founders stated the importance and prevalence of guns in America, including the Benjamin Franklin quote listed above. Here are a few other key quotes from people actually alive at the time.
"...one loves to possess arms, tho[ugh] they hope never to have occasion for them." Thomas Jefferson in a letter to George Washington, June 19, 1796. ME 9:341 Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Memorial Edition (Lipscomb and Bergh, editors) 20 Vols., Washington, D.C., 1903-04.
"A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be the constant companion of your walks." Thomas Jefferson, Encyclopedia of T. Jefferson, 318 (Foley, Ed., reissued 1967). (Letter to Peter Carr, his 15-year-old nephew, August 19, 1785).
"I enclose you a list of the killed, wounded, and captives of the enemy from the commencement of hostilities at Lexington in April, 1775, until November, 1777, since which there has been no event of any consequence... I think that upon the whole it has been about one half the number lost by them, in some instances more, but in others less. This difference is ascribed to our superiority in taking aim when we fire; every soldier in our army having been intimate with his gun from his infancy." Thomas Jefferson in a letter to Giovanni Fabbroni, June 8, 1778.[the British] told us we shall have no more guns, no powder to use, and kill our wolves and other game, nor to send to you for you to kill your victuals with, and to get skins to trade with us, to buy your blankets and what you want. How can you live without powder and guns? But we hope to supply you soon with both, of our own making." Samuel Adams to the Mohawk Indians, III S. Adams, Writings 213.
"Arms in the hands of citizens [may] be used at individual discretion… in private self-defense …" John Adams, A Defense of the Constitutions of the Government of the USA, 471 (1788)Visit our Founders' Quotes Page Here for more quotes on this important issue.
In addition, while not directly related, an archaeological dig in Georgia found that the slaves on a small island had access to numerous working firearms of the type that used flints. Such guns were popular before 1840, but not after then. Somehow, these slaves received older, working guns that Bellesiles claims were rare before the civil war. Interesting...Check out the article here: Scientists study slave settlement
This article also raises another way to refute Bellesiles's research. Many of the Black Codes in the South forbide gun ownership from both slaves and Freedmen. Why were such laws necessary if almost nobody had firearms to begin with? See Clayton Cramer, The Racist Roots of Gun Control,Robert J. Cottrol & Raymond T. Diamond "Never Intended to Be Applied to the White Population": Firearms Regulation And Racial Disparity-the Redeemed South's Legacy to a National Jurisprudence? and Stefan B. Tahmassebi, Gun Control and Racism for more information on "hidden [racist] history of gun control."
Many, many people are now making very pointed criticisms of Michael's bias against history and gun ownership in general. Mr. Bellesiles is caught misquoting the 1792 Militia law (Bellesiles admitted this error in a mostly-supportive review of his book), misleading people on other documents, jumping to conclusions not supported by the facts as well as selective use of documents which support him while ignoring many others that refute his claims.
In addition, Mr. Bellesiles is deeply involved in promoting gun control, while claiming to be a caring gun owner. His "research" was used in several anti-freedom briefs in U.S. v. Emerson.
See the debate continue below from most recent to oldest here:
HOT! ! ! Bellesiles: Did the Emory Committee Deliberately Try to Avoid Culpability? (The History News Network 11/25/02)
HOT! ! ! Update on Arming America. Editors of The Nation still defends Bellesiles, yet this editorial and the following article don't appear on their search engine on 11/15/02. (The Nation 11/07/02)
HOT! ! ! Fire at Will. One of Bellesiles's supporters attacks critics. We are hoping for an update on this article based on the new Emory Report. (The Nation 10/17/02)
HOT! ! ! Historians eager to bite anti-gun line. (New Haven Register, 11/06/02)
HOT! ! ! Disarming Bellesiles. (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 11/01/02)
HOT! ! ! The disarming of 'Arming America'. (The Washington Times, 11/01/02)
HOT! ! ! The Truth Wins: Antigun scholar Michael Bellesiles gets the boot. (The Wall Street Journal, 11/01/02)
HOT! ! ! Columbia feels heat from gun groups over Bancroft Prize. Quotes SAF's goal of removing Award! (The Washington Times 10/30/02)
HOT! ! ! Editorial. Truth, academia and guns. (Denver Post 10/30/02)
HOT! ! ! Editorial. Our Opinion: The verdict is in. Caught in a web of lies, Bellesiles has only himself to blame. (The Emory Wheel 10/29/02)
HOT! ! ! Retraction of Support! ! ! Reassessment: Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture. (The Federal Lawyer October 2002)
Prof. Volokh's response to Reassessment.
HOT! ! ! Colonial Gun Owners' Payback! Revisionist Historian Repudiated. (Newsmax.com, 10/27/02)
HOT! ! ! Responses to the Emory Report on Michael Bellesiles. (The History News Network: Updated as made available)
From the Archives: Text, Lies, and Scholarship: Award-Winning Plagiarists. See full Magazine Issue HERE! (PDF file) (Columbia Political Review Spring 2002)
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Download free Acrobat Reader Now!HOT! ! ! BELLESILES COVERAGE: Excerpts from the Committee's investigation. (The Emory Wheel 10/29/02)
HOT! ! ! Bellesiles resigns University position: History prof's exit follows release of committee's report. Similar article HERE. (The Emory Wheel 10/29/02)
HOT! ! ! Emory scholar resigns after academic probe. (The Chicago Maroon, 10/29/02)
HOT! ! ! Shooting the Messenger: Jon Wiener on Arming America. Even his past defenders like Gary Wills have turned according to this article! ! ! (The History News Network 10/28/02)
HOT! ! ! Bellesiles Is Out: A professor at the center of controversy is forced to resign. (National Review 10/28/02)
HOT! ! ! Prof. resigns; faulty gun research cited. (UPI Story 10/28/02)
HOT! ! ! Professor quits in probe of gun book. (The Washington Times 10/28/02)
HOT! ! ! CORRECTIONS to AP Story on Bellesiles Resignation. (AP Story Corrections in New York Times 10/29/02) See AP Story HERE and HERE as well.
HOT! ! ! Author of Gun History Quits After Panel Faults Research. (AP Story in New York Times 10/28/02) See AP Story HERE as well.
HOT! ! ! Why the Anti-gun Egghead Lost His Job. (Newsmax.com 10/28/02)
HOT! ! ! The Truth is Whatever We Want it To Be, or Surprised by Bellesiles? Umm, No. Scroll down. (Tightly Wound 10/28/02)
HOT! ! ! With research in question, Emory historian resigns post. (Boston Globe 10/26/02)
HOT! ! ! Scolded author quits Emory. (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 10/26/02)
HOT! ! ! Remaining Questions Concerning Michael Bellesiles. (The History News Network 10/26/02)
HOT! ! ! Opinion piece blaming the system for creating and fostering people like Bellesiles. (Boston Globe 10/26/02)
HOT! ! ! Bellesiles resigns as fraud investigation ends: External panel asserts guilt in July; main report released today. (The Emory Wheel 10/25/02)
HOT! ! ! Oct. 25: Michael Bellesiles Resigns from Emory Faculty. (Emory University Release 10/25/02)
HOT! ! ! Report of the Investigative Committee in the matter of [EX-] Professor Michael Bellesiles. Note the use of big (& less harsh) words, and the lack of being able to PROVE his deliberate "intent" to lie and deceive. Hardly a ringing endorsement, as mind reading is impossible. But the last paragraph on page 19 helps clear up the report and his "falsification". (Released 10/25/02) PDF Format
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Download free Acrobat Reader Now!HOT! ! ! Ex-Professor's Response. (Released 10/25/02) PDF Format
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Download free Acrobat Reader Now!HOT! ! ! Fire at Will. One of Bellesiles's supporters attacks critics. We are hoping for an update on this article based on the new Emory Report. (The Nation 10/17/02)
HOT! ! ! The Anti-gun organizations Brady Campaign and Brady Center have removed Bellesiles from their website search engines and only have one Press Release I could locate. Even they recognize how harmful he has become to their agenda! But they once touted him in their Emerson Brief! The Violence Policy Center mentions him briefly in only one Press Release too.
HOT! ! ! Waiting for Emory. (The History News Network 9/26/02)
HOT! ! ! Report: Emory professor appeals finding of probe. (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 9/26/02)
HOT! ! ! Bellesiles appeals independent panel ruling; provost says deadline for appeal process 'soon'. (The Emory Wheel 9/24/02)
HOT! ! ! How the Bellesiles Story Developed. (The History News Network, Updated Repeatedly)
Malcolm in the Middle: Falling victim to bogus critics. Takes Aim at Bellesiles and others! (National Review 9/16/02)
Who Am I? Funny! (Reason.com 9/06/02)
Right Is Not Might – in Congress or Academia. (Newsmax.com 8/26/02)
Guns and 'Slander': Who is lying to whom? (The Union Leader 8/26/02)
'Arming America' Author on Paid Leave Pending Probe. (CNSnews.com 8/26/02)
Prize-winning historian's book research under scrutiny. (Boston Globe 8/23/02)
Emory Professor Faces Fraud Probe. (AP Story in Newsday 8/23/02)
Emory continues probe of 'Arming America' author. (The Washington Times 8/23/02)
Emory author won't be in class. (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 8/23/02)
North Bridge Training Institute Launches "CounterAttack" Gun Rights Conference: Historian Who Exposed Revisionist History to Deliver Keynote. (northbridgetraining.com 8/21/02)
History 501 at Central Conn State Uses Bellesiles' Debunked Book as Primer for Class.
Book Review: Fall from Grace: Arming America and the Bellesiles Scandal. (James Lindgren Article) Search this page for more discussions on Bellesiles.
Following the Bellesiles Story By HNN Staff. (The History News Network, Updated Repeatedly)
Promoting All The History That Is Fit - To Support Media Biases. (Accuracy in Media, 8/01/02)
Emory investigation of Bellesiles may be over; results not revealed. (The History News Network, 7/23/02)
Writing Ideology As History In “Arming America”. (Accuracy in Media, 6/28/02)
Rewriting the history books. (The Washington Times 6/20/02)
Scholarly shootout over guns. (Charlotte Observer 6/13/02)
Acknowledging Academic Fraud. (FrontPageMagazine.com 6/13/02)
Journalists Are Rushing to Judgment About Michael Bellesiles (The History News Network 6/10/02)
The Cowards of Academe: Michael Bellesiles's rear-guard defenders. (The Weekly Standard 6/10/02)
Academic Accountability: An antigun scholar defends his shoddy work by calling critics names. (The Wall Street Journal, 6/06/02)
US professor under fire for book on guns. (UK Guardian 6/01/02)
NEH and Newberry disagree on Bellesiles grant. (Boston Globe 5/24/02)
Gun By Gun by Glenn Harlan Reynolds. (LegalAffairs.org)
Bellesiles speaking at the Newberry Library in Chicago on May 30th. Scroll down to view info. (Newberry.org 5/22/02)
NEH halts backing for gun historian's grant. Bellesiles's mess make government pull name from grant. (The Washington Times 5/22/02)
Book Flap Prompts NEH to Pull Name From Fellowship. Ditto. (The Washington Post 5/21/02)
Lies, Damned Lies and Left-Wing Scholars. (FrontPageMagazine.com 5/20/02)
Could Bellesiles's Problems Undermine Gun Control? Discusses how collective-only folks have relied on Bellesiles, including in Emerson Amicus Briefs!!!!! (Historynewsnetwork.com 5/20/02)
"Pulped" Fiction: Michael Bellesiles and His Yellow Note Pads. (Historynewsnetwork.com 5/20/02)
Gunning for a Bad Book. (George Will Column in Newsweek 5/20/02 issue)
Setting the Missing Records Straight: The continuing misadventures of award-winning author Michael Bellesiles. (The Weekly Standard 5/17/02)
Fellowship awarded professor is reviewed. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution 5/02/02)
Following the Bellesiles Story By HNN Staff. (The History News Network 4/30/02)
Deal with evidence, not politics. James Lindgren spanks a Bellesiles' apologist! (The History News Network 4/30/02)
William and Mary Quarterly. The Symposium on Bellesiles! (Jan. 2002)
Emory widens probe of professor's book. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution 4/26/02)
E-mails may include lies. Bellesiles caught yet again. (The Emory Wheel 4/25/02)
Emory announces outside panel to review Bellesiles' research. (The Emory Wheel 4/25/02)
Bellesiles insinuates professor forged e-mails in his name. (The Emory Wheel 4/25/02)
Entertainment: Prize-winning book on gun culture may have missed the mark. (AP Story in Nando Times 4/25/02)
The Corner. Search for ''Bellesiles'' for various tidbits from NR like how his Awards and Funding may be at risk! (National Review 4/25/02)
Fate of history professor remains uncertain two months after launch of investigation. (The Emory Wheel 4/23/02)
Do libraries need lie detectors? (Denver Post 4/21/02)
Do We Need Warning Labels For Lies In The Library? (Independence Institute 4/17/02)
HISTORIAN ON THE HOT SEAT: Mr. Bellesiles’s Emails. (The History News Network 4/15/02)
HISTORIAN ON THE HOT SEAT: Are Michael Bellesiles’s Critics Afraid to Say What They Really Think? (The History News Network 4/09/02)
HISTORIAN ON THE HOT SEAT: Mr. Bellesiles’s Response to Mr. Sternstein. (The History News Network 4/09/02)
HISTORIAN ON THE HOT SEAT: Mr. Sternstein’s Response to Mr. Bellesiles. (The History News Network 4/09/02)
Bellesiles's problems are a lot bigger than probate records... (The History News Network 4/15/02)
Fawning Critics Don't Say Book Was Fraud. Glenn Harlan Reynolds. (Fox News 4/04/02)
Flashback: Gun Battles. This Old Book Review Favors Bellesiles' Work, but also noting several key problems. (H-Net in May, 2001)
Flashback: Historian Comments on Bellesiles' refusal to provide documents and claims of hacking. (October 7, 2001)
American Journal: The Year of the Yellow Notepad. (American Journal, March 24 - 30, 2002) Also on WorkingForChange.com HERE!
Letter to the Editor: Does unbiased account signal change of heart? Fifth letter down. (The Seattle Post-Intelligencer 3/21/02)
Historian's failings have impact today. (The Seattle Post-Intelligencer 3/14/02)
Historians in hot water. (The San Francisco Chronicle 3/08/02)
Arming America: A Recognized Fraud. (FrontPageMagazine.com 3/05/02)
A history lesson for historian: Archivist refutes claims of prize-winning author. (The San Francisco Chronicle 3/02/02)
History chair apologizes for Bellesiles controversy. Worth listing in order too! (The Emory Wheel 3/01/02)
Prize awards for literary losers. (The Washington Times 3/01/02)
Michael A. Bellesiles: Mega Anti-Gun-Nut -- Part XXIX. (GOA, March)
The Historian Who Couldn't Shoot Straight. (The Weekly Standard 2/25/02)
HISTORIAN ON THE HOT SEAT: Historical Fraud and the Seduction of Ideas: The Poulshock Case. Mentions Bellesiles too! (History News Network 2/25/02)
Guns and Poses: Michael Bellesiles's work is charming and disarming--but sloppy and maybe fraudulent. (The Wall Street Journal, 2/22/02)
Emory can wait no longer: Historian is under investigation. (Chicago Tribune 2/13/02)
Emory professor's book 'biased', peers say. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution 2/10/02)
Probe aims at claim of gun-use author. Emory University investigating Bellesiles! (Washinton Times 2/08/02)
'Arming America' Under Fire; Historian Will Undergo Inquiry. (AP Story in L.A. Times 2/08/02)
A time for caution: Investigation of Bellesiles needs to be thorough and just. (The Emory Wheel 2/08/02)
Staff Editorials: Islands in the sun: Spring break need not occur inside Emory’s bubble. Proof the FIX might be in, since everything will be kept private until the end. Thus, we don't know what materials the University sees, nor their reasonings for the final decision! (The Emory Wheel 2/07/02)
College Plans to Question Historian: Historian Will Undergo Inquiry From Emory University for Book on Role of Guns in U.S. (AP Story on ABC News 2/07/02)
Did the Shootouts Over 'Arming America' Divert Attention From the Real Issues? Scholars heaped praise on a book, ignoring critics who have been vindicated on many points. (Chronicle for Higher Education 2/01/02)
Notes on Supposed San Francisco Records in the Contra Costa County Historical Society History Center. This page was linked off of the National Review Article. (Contra Costa County Historical Society 2/01/02)
The Triumph of Ideological History. (FrontPageMagazine.com 2/01/02)
Historians criticize author's gun research. (Boston Globe 1/29/02)
Disarming America, Part III: Award-winning author Michael Bellesiles changes his story again. Another hit from NR! (National Review 1/29/02)
Wormy apples from the groves of Academe. A must read. (Chicago Tribune 1/23/02)
S I L E N C E D: Is uncivil discourse quelling scholarship on controversial issues? From Emory University.
Scholar under heavy fire for book on gun culture. Bellesiles is substituting other data as backing up his claims, while critics remind him that he is not working to duplicate his original results (he still says he will). Also, Bellesiles said his probate figures may be revised upwards, but that his conclusions are still correct. Amazing. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution 1/20/02)
The Shooting Game. An anti-gunner supports Arming America while glossing over any flaws. (TNR.com 1/16/02)
Book's validity questioned. A reluctant admission that Bellesiles might be wrong! (Cincinnati Enquirer 1/12/02)
Stranger in a Strange Land: The Scandal of Arming America. A prizewinning work of history dosen't stand up to examination. A previous Bellesiles supporter blasts him! (Christianity Today, February Issue)
Mischaracterization of History? (Fox News Video 1/09/02)
Author under fire on accuracy of gun research. The article quoted Russell Baker from this webpage! (Washinton Times 1/01/02)
Historian's Prizewinning Book on Guns Is Embroiled in a Scandal (New York Times 12/08/01)
Loaded Words by Michael Korda discussing Media coverage of Bellesiles. (National Rifle Association's website 10/10/01)
Disarming America, Part II: Why Won't Bellesiles Seriously Respond to His Critics? (National Review 11/26/01)
Article on how Bellesiles really said little in his response to critics. (Boston Globe 11/13/01)
Bellesiles complains about "hateful" attacks, but doesn't really respond with much information. (Organization of American Historians 11/13/01)
Gun Control Book Based on Faulty Data (Fox News 10/10/01)
University asks historian to defend his research on gun ownership book. (Boston Globe 10/04/01)
Disarmed: A gun-hating historian comes under heavy fire. (National Review 10/04/01)
The National Review Again Blasts Bellesiles by Disarming his "research." Disarming America: One of the worst cases of academic irresponsibility in memory. (updated for October 15 Issue)
The Boston Globe just exposed Bellesiles by researching his "research." New doubts about gun historian: Research to receive hard critique today (09/11/01)
If not available, click here to see a copy of the great article! ! !
Historian wounded as theory backfires!
Wall Street Journal Nails Bellesiles! Same article posted & discussed on Free Republic Website!
Bonus: Letters in Response to WSJ article (Including from Bellesiles!)
A. Joyce Lee Malcolm
1. Concealed Weapons: A controversial book "Arming America" has the facts all wrong.
2. Were the colonists gun-haters? Geoff Metcalf interviews Second Amendment historian Joyce Malcolm.
B. James Lindgren and Justin Lee (Draft)
3. Abstract of Article with a link for free downloading of article.
C. Stephen P. Halbrook takes on Bellesiles as well as Al Gore's Gun Position!
D. Clayton Cramer: Homepage
6. Arming America: A "Novel" Rewrite Of American History.
7. Book Review: Shots in the Dark - Bellesiles "Arming America" is novel in both senses.
8. Firearms Ownership and Manufacturing in Early America PDF Format
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Download free Acrobat Reader Now!9. Gun Scarcity in the Early Republic? PDF Format
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Download free Acrobat Reader Now!E. Joseph R. Stromberg has yet another good response:
F. Even the Washington Post attacks some of Bellesiles conclusions in a book review by John Whiteclay Chambers II here:
11. Lock and Load
G. About.com Review:
H. COLUMN: Vin Suprynowicz
I. NRA weighs in.
14. NRA Response
J. Neal Knox Reports in Shotgun News.