1. George Mason, Father of the Bill of Rights:"I ask, Who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people, except a few public officers." (Jonathan Elliot, The Debates of the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution, [NY: Burt Franklin,1888] p.425-6)
2. The Constitution gave Congress the power to raise and support a national army, and to organize the Militia. This is because an army didnt naturally exist, while the Militia only had to be organized: it always existed. (See enumerated powers in Article 1,Section 8.)
3. The Supreme Court, in US v. Miller, (1939) militia system implied the general obligation of all adult male inhabitants to possess arms, and, with certain exceptions, to cooperate in the work of defence. It concluded that the militia was primarily civilians.
4. Today, federal law defines the militia of the United States to include all able-bodied males from 17 to 45 and members of the National Guard up to age 64, but excluding those who have no intention of becoming citizens, and active military personnel. (US Code Title 10, sect. 311-313)
