As President Barack Obama delivers his final State of the Union with his executive actions on gun control still fresh, gun issues will remain a conversation topic from Washington to the campaign trail to the kitchen table.  

The first major piece of gun-control legislation passed by Congress is known as the Gun Control Act of 1968. Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, it was a response to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. Because of the sweeping bill, stricter licensing of firearms begins, felons can’t buy guns and ammunition, and federal jurisdiction over bombs and other devices is put in place.  

Hover over the lines to see what major laws have been considered by Congress since 1968. Hover over the squares for relevant U.S. events.