Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture is a best-selling history book published in 2000 by Michael Bellesiles that sought to put American "gun culture" on display. The book is based on an earlier essay by Bellesiles written in 1996 while he was a professor at Emory University.
The book, proven to be fraudulent, was the recipient of the Bancroft Award for History, the highest honor bestowed in the "historical" category.[1]
The National Rifle Association was a consistent critic of the book.