Why did Americans stop carrying around guns like in the Wild West?

Question

Why did Americans stop carrying around guns like in the Wild West?
Was there a new law passed or was it a change in culture?

Answer

Lots of things have changed, but keep in mind that people werent armed all the time then, and they arent always unarmed now, except in larger cities where laws prohibit it.brAlso, people were used to the idea of personal and community responsibility. The NYPD, the countrys first, was founded in , not long before the cowboy era. People had enough sense to understand the eight men of the NYPD couldnt act as personal bodyguards for the entire population, and that wasnt their job, at any rate. They were also still close enough to the Revolutionary period to realize that it should be the people, not government officials, who should be armed.brCowboys, in particular, had several practical reasons to carry a handgun on the job, and a few still do, though quothostile Indiansquot has fallen from the list.brNew Yorks Sullivan law also has changed the scenario, not only in that state but elsewhere. It was designed to keep guns out of the hands of uppity minorities, who were prone to criminal activity and couldnt be trusted like normal folks.