The "militias" were any groups of volunteers who showed up to fight. They were usually farmers. They brought whatever weapons they had, which were usually rifes that were far superior to Bitish muskets, and they shot them extremely well. They had no rosters, and no uniforms. They assembled like a volumteer fire department. They worked well as militia units. They did not work well with the Continental Army, because they didn't have much respect for rank or following orders. or regular military.
At that time, there was huge distrust of giving a federal government too much central power for fear of creation of a new tyranny. In the new governent, the states were almost sovereign, like a confederation of 13 countries. There was even much debate about whether the Contintental Army should continue to exist as each state wanted their own miliatry. Constitution was drafted with a heavy emphasis on limiting the powers of the federal government, and setting boundries for it, otherwise the states would never have ratified it.
I'm imagining that conversation between Jefferson and Madison.
Jefferson: "I'm really amazed that a bunch of farmers with good rifles defeated the Brittish miltary!
Madison: "Yes, commmon citizens used their arms to free us from tirany. We will forge this document, a Constitution, so that citizens will have power over their government, and will never again be subjects of it."
Jefferson: "Yes. It is most important that the citizens be able to speak freely of their government, good or bad, and the press must be able to report on it, so that it will be transparent to the citizenry, and citizens will no more be required to worship according to the state established church of England, but will be free to worship as they choose, wherever and whenever they wish without being under penalty of law. This should be our First Amendment in the people's Bill of Rights. "
Madison: "Of course! And to be certain to preserve those rights, and prevent the new government from becomming a tyranny, we need a 2nd amendment that will prevent the it from disarming it's citizens so that these farmers can raise their children to develop the marksmanship skills they displayed, so they they can band together again to defend against a future tyranny in this new government, or foreign invaders, should the need arrise." This new government will think twicw about every trying to subjugate an armed citizenry.
Jeffserson: "Yes, yes! And in this amendment we will also give the federal government the power to decide which farmers meet our standards to own these weapons, what weapons they may own, and how much ammo they may posess, and we will make sure that farmer's weapons no longer may be superior to the weapons of the country's military - for their protection, of course!" I think the states will see that we mean well, and trust us to regulate the arms of their ctizens."
Madison: WTF???????? That is the very thing we just fought against, Thomas!
Jefferson: Thomas? He couldn't make it. I am his nephew, Sturd Jefferson.
