Letter from Governor Thomas Jefferson  to George Washington January 10, 1781: "... On the 31st. of December a Letter from a private Gentleman to General Nelson came to my hands, notifying that in the morning of the preceding day 27 Sail of vessels had entered the capes and from the tenor of the letter we had reason to expect within a few hours further intelligence whether they were friends or foes, their force, and other circumstances. We immediately dispatched General Nelson to the lower Country with powers to call on the Militia in that quarter or to act otherwise as exigences should require, but waited further intelligence before we would call for Militia from the middle or upper Country..." https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-04-02-0408

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98VfAwDBxuw&t=15s The guy from the Young Turks in this video is making the claim that the 2nd Amendment was intended only for "militias" and that for some reason "Bob down the street" doesn't get to have any kind of weapon he likes.  What makes up a Militia?  If you start to say "Bob can't have this kind of gun" or "Bob can't have a gun, he's not a National Guardsman" you are suggesting a "Select Militia". The Militia consist in all able bodied men trained to arms, starting from the age of 12. Under Old English Common Law, all able bodied men ages 12-60 were expected to aid in the common defense of their neighborhoods and towns Under Old English Common Law all able bodied men ages 15-60 were expected to aid in the common defense of their respective counties under the direction of the Sheriff or another selected by the county in a "Posee Comitatus" Under precedent esta...

How the "Citizens Militia" is distinct from the state sponsored militia The Militia of the State is but a small portion of "the Militia" as it was understood by the founding fathers.  Unlike the Army and Navy, which were created by the Constitution, the Militia pre-existed the Constitution.  The Constitution simply gave Congress power to call up that portion of the Militia that would be needed in case of national emergency. The founders understood the Militia to be all able bodied male citizens capable of bearing arms, in a previous post The Power of a Tithing , I pointed out that those who were to be trained to aid in the common defense began at the age of 12 and up.  According to US Code, that portion that may be called up to aid the United States consist of all males (with few exceptions) ages 17-45, and most state codes share a uniformity with that code.  There are times however, when the Federal and State Government are either unable or unwilling to a...

Virginia Militia Act 1757 APRIL 1757 - - 30th GEORGE II. CHAP. III. An Act for the better regulating and disciplining the Militia. I.                     WHEREAS it is necessary, in this time of danger, that the militia of this colony should be well regulated and disciplined. Be it therefore enacted, by the Lieutenant-Governor, Council, and Burgesses, of this present General assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this act every county lieutenant, colonel, lieutenant-colonel, and other inferior officer, bearing any commission in the militia of this colony, shall be an inhabitant of, and resident in the county of which he is or shall be commissioned to be an officer of the militia. II.                  And be it further enacted, by the authorit...

Published last year but still true today: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/melanie-hunter/sheriff-david-clarke-picking-constitution-fit-certain-leftist-agenda

That portion of the Militia that can be called up by Congress to aid the US in times of National Emergency include the following: The Organized Militia which consist of: 1)  The National Guard 2) The Naval Militia (in states that have them) The Unorganized Militia All males 17-45 years of age (with special exceptions such as ministers and mailmen) who are not part of the Organized Militia  https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/246

In Federalist 29 Alexander Hamiliton goes into great detail about the use of the Militia under the new Constitution being debated at the time.  While he argued in favor of the Militia as it stood in Article 1 Section 8 the Anti-Federalist demanded that it be recognized that the Militia of the Whole constituted the entire population and hence, the 2nd Amendment. His arguments led to the creation of the "Organizaed Militia" and the "Unorganized Militia" The Organized Militia (select corps of Militia as he put it): " The attention of the government ought particularly to be directed to the formation of a select corps of moderate extent, upon such principles as will really fit them for service in case of need. By thus circumscribing the plan, it will be possible to have an excellent body of well-trained militia, ready to take the field whenever the defense of the State shall require it. This will not only lessen the call for military establishments, but if...