Militia Law of 1792

The Militia Law of 1792 was signed into law by President George Washington in 1792 to give the President authority to call out the National Militia. After Shays' Rebellion, the need for an internal (and external if necessary) defense structure became quite evident to Washington and the Congress. In 1792, Congress enacted a law giving the President the authority to request the assistance of the states' individual militias, which would eventually become known as the National Guard and State Defense Forces, during an emergency. The law was the very first to give the executive branch any war powers besides confirming a state of war if a declaration was passed by congress. The law was deemed necessary as the inefficiency and slow reaction of the Congress when it was not in session as proven during Shays' Rebellion could not be tolerated as any major rebellion was a direct threat to the shaky unity of the various states.

Related Topics:
President - George Washington - Militia - Shays' Rebellion - Congress - National Guard - State Defense Forces

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