The history of gun control in America began with the National Firearms Act of 1934, which imposed the first federal regulations such as a tax on certain firearms and requirements to register guns. Later, key Supreme Court cases like United States v. Miller in 1939 and Haynes v. United States in 1968 helped shape legislation and interpret the constitutionality of gun laws. More recent laws and cases like the District of Columbia v. Heller in 2008 have sought to balance the rights of gun ownership with regulations.