Which amendment grants individuals the right to keep and bear arms?

The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution explicitly grants individuals the right to keep and bear arms. It 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 amendment has been the cornerstone of the debate around gun rights and firearm regulation in the United States, emphasizing the importance of the individual’s right to possess weapons for self-defense as well as the collective right of the community to maintain a militia.

The First Amendment, which covers freedoms concerning speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition, does not pertain to the issue of firearms. The Third Amendment, focused on the quartering of soldiers in private homes, is unrelated to individual rights concerning arms. The Fifth Amendment addresses rights related to legal proceedings, such as protection against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, without addressing the issue of bearing arms. Hence, the Second Amendment is the correct choice in this context.