Despite its different ideological foundations, modern North American gun culture had precedents in late medieval and early modern Europe, when weapons played an important role in communities that regarded an armed citizenry vital to public safety.

How did the Rubáiyát attributed to the medieval philosopher Omar Khayyam find its way on board of the R.M.S. Titanic, into a parody of Mark Twain, and even into a speech of President Bill Clinton?