Gun Violence in English-Speaking Countries

In this task, we would like you to take a closer look at gun ownership in the United States and compare this to other English-speaking countries. Why is there such a noticeable difference in the number of handguns and in the attitude towards handguns in these countries?

Step 1: Learn more about guns in the United States.

First, go through the following articles from Pew Research Center about guns in the United States.

• Link to Pew Research Center: Key facts about Americans and guns

• Link to Pew Research Center: America’s complex relationship with guns

Take notes as you read. Look for information about the following:

1. How many people own guns? Who are the people that own guns, demographically speaking?

2. What is the general attitude towards guns among Americans?

3. What reasons do gun owners give for owning guns?

4. How do the majority feel about the existing gun laws?

Step 2: Class discussion

Discuss your findings in class.

1. Did you find anything that surprised you? Did you find anything that provoked you?

2. Why do you think guns are such a polarising political issue in the United States?

3. How can we explain the love affair Americans have with their guns? Could American history explain why they feel the way they do?

Step 3: Compare:

Work together in groups. Choose one of the following English-speaking countries:

• The United Kingdom

• Australia

• New Zealand

• Canada

Use the internet and find more information about gun policies and gun ownership in the country you have chosen.

Look for information about:

• the number of guns in private hands

• the number of households with guns

• the number of people killed in a year

• the rules for buying and owning guns

• the types of guns that you can acquire as a private citizen

• the number of mass shootings or terrorist attacks where firearms were used in the history of the country

• sudden changes in gun laws after mass shootings or terrorist attacks

• the general attitude among people regarding the country's gun laws

You may not find all the above-mentioned information, but that's fine. The point is to get an overview of the situation in the country you have chosen.

Step 4: Present your findings

Compare the country with the situation in the United States. What are the major differences between the two countries? Look at:

• number of guns

• the rate of firearms deaths (murder and suicide)

• gun laws

• the general attitude towards guns and gun laws

Present your findings for the rest of the class, either in the form of a class discussion, a presentation, a poster, or a short film.

What is the difference between a mass shooting and a terrorist act? Why was the Parkland school shooting in Florida (2018) defined as a mass shooting and not as an act of terrorism?

There is no standard definition of what constitutes mass shootings or terrorist acts; they vary between organisations and nations. However, most definitions include certain characteristics.

The definitions found here are used by the FBI. Study the definitions before you move on to the tasks.

1. What is the main difference between the two definitions?

2. Here is a list of different mass shootings and terrorist attacks that have taken place in the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.

Work together and find out more about each event. Use the definitions presented above and decide whether they would be classified as mass shootings or terrorist attacks.

• Dunblane massacre, Scotland, 1996

• Port Arthur massacre, Australia, 1996

• Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, United States, 2012

• Parliament Hill shooting, Canada, 2014

• Orlando nightclub shooting, United States, 2016

• Christchurch mosque shooting, New Zealand, 2019

• Plymouth shooting, England, 2021

Suggested answer:

A mass shooting is not always a terrorist attack; it depends on the motives of the shooter. If the perpetrator has a political, religious, social, or racial motive, the shooting is classified as terrorism. However, random shooting sprees that are not connected to a group or cause, and where the perpetrator does not leave an explicit explanation for the act are classified as mass shootings. This means that the majority of school shootings in the United States would be defined as mass shootings, not terrorism.

Dunblane massacre: Seventeen people were killed in a school shooting. The perpetrator expressed no clear motive, and it was defined as a mass shooting.

Port Arthur massacre: Thirty-five people were killed. The perpetrator expressed no clear motive, and it was classified as a mass shooting.

Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting: Twenty-six people were killed. The perpetrator expressed no clear motive, and it was classified as a mass shooting.

Parliament Hill shooting: Two people were killed. The perpetrator is believed to have had 'ideological and political motives', and the shooting was classified as domestic terrorism.

Orlando nightclub shooting: Forty-nine people were killed. It was first believed that the perpetrator had targeted this specific nightclub because of its LGBTQ clientele. However, he also swore allegiance to the Islamic state. His true motives are not clear, but the shooting has been classified as domestic terrorism.

Christchurch mosque shooting: Fifty-one people were killed. A white supremacist carried out the attack, which targeted Muslims. This act was classified as domestic terrorism.

Plymouth shooting: Six people were killed. This shooting was first defined as a mass shooting because there was no apparent political, religious, social, or racial motive. However, it was later discovered that the perpetrator had close links to the incel movement, and there has since been debate about whether it should be reclassified as a terrorist attack.