Militias are a military organization of citizens with limited military training, which is available for emergency service, usually for local defense. In many countries the militia are of ancient origin; Macedonia under Philip II (d. 336 BC), for example, had a militia of clansmen in border regions who could be called to arms to repel invaders.
In colonial America, the militia, based on the tradition of the fyrd, was the only defense against hostile Indians during the long periods when regular British forces were not available. During the American Revolution, the militia, called Minutemen, provided the bulk of the American forces, as well as a pool for recruiting or drafting of regulars.
