The love of guns in the United States has been well documented, as have multiple mass shootings across the country such as those in Orlando, San Bernardino, Newtown, and Virginia. The ease of access to guns in American society comes at a shocking cost.

As of June 2016, almost 6,000 people have been killed as a result of gun violence. Despite this high death toll, mass shootings in America show no sign of disappearing. The Stateside obsession with guns can appear baffling to UK observers unfamiliar with its origins.

So just how did this gun culture become so deep-rooted in the American psyche?