HOT! ! ! The Historian Who Couldn't Shoot Straight. (The Weekly Standard 2/25/02)
HOT! ! ! Emory can wait no longer: Historian is under investigation. (Chicago Tribune 2/13/02)
HOT! ! ! Emory professor's book 'biased', peers say. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution 2/10/02)
HOT! ! ! Probe aims at claim of gun-use author. Emory University investigating Bellesiles! (Washinton Times 2/08/02)
HOT! ! ! 'Arming America' Under Fire; Historian Will Undergo Inquiry. (AP Story in L.A. Times 2/08/02)
HOT! ! ! 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)
HOT! ! ! 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)
HOT! ! ! 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)
HOT! ! ! The Triumph of Ideological History. (FrontPageMagazine.com 2/01/02)
HOT! ! ! Historians criticize author's gun research. (Boston Globe 1/29/02)
HOT! ! ! Disarming America, Part III: Award-winning author Michael Bellesiles changes his story again. Another hit from NR! (National Review 1/29/02)
HOT! ! ! Wormy apples from the groves of Academe. A must read. (Chicago Tribune 1/23/02)
HOT! ! ! S I L E N C E D: Is uncivil discourse quelling scholarship on controversial issues? From Emory University.
HOT! ! ! 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)
HOT! ! ! Book's validity questioned. A reluctant admission that Bellesiles might be wrong! (Cincinnati Enquirer 1/12/02)
HOT! ! ! 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)
HOT! ! ! Mischaracterization of History? (Fox News Video 1/09/02)
HOT! ! ! 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! ! !
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 several responses here:
History re-written to undermine gun rights? Geoff Metcalf interviews historian and author Clayton Cramer
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!
4. Deconstructing the Second Amendment
D. Clayton Cramer: Homepage
5. Clayton Cramer E-Mail.
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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E. Joseph R. Stromberg has yet another good response:
10. Bellesiles vs. History
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:
12. Misfiring history: A review of Arming America
H. COLUMN: Vin Suprynowicz
13. Will rewrite nation's history to suit new tenant
I. NRA weighs in.
14. NRA Response
J. Neal Knox Reports in Shotgun News.
15. Neal Knox Reports
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