9781422280164

George Washington and his militia at Valley Forge.

litias the dual status still enjoyed by the National Guard. The National Guard is unique in that it is both a state and a federal organization. It is raised and organized by states to meet their own requirements. It is also federalized, which means that in times of national emergency it can be called upon by the U.S. government for the defense of America as a whole. As such, the militias saw service throughout the 19th century, making a vital contribution, for instance, in the Mexican War of 1848. The acquisition of western territories, like California, New Mexico, and Utah, as well as that of Texas to the south, immediately transformed the United States in terms of size. However, the addition of Texas, in particular, served to extend and strengthen the slave-owning South, and thus to bring closer the agonizing conflict of the Civil War (1861–1865).

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D efending O ur N ation