In discussing lineage society applications, we often talk about militia service. The institution such a part of the colonial period no longer exists today. But what was it, and why does it matter?
In the British colonies, the militia was the standing defensive force for a community. Service was required of men of a certain age (generally 16 to 60). While there were exemptions based on race and occupation depending on location, most men would serve at least some time in the militia.
In short, the militia was the colonial armed forces, particularly in colonial America. The British did have a standing army. But they were expensive to train and move, unpopular to house, and couldn’t be everywhere. For the bulk of the colonial period, it was the militia doing the fighting.
That meant that they were at the center of most colonial military conflicts. When a lineage society wants to honor an ancestor for serving in the colonial military, they must consider roles in the militia.