Militia (British Empire)
The Militia of the British Dominions, Self-Governing Colonies, and Crown Colonies were the principal military forces of the dominions and the self-governing colonies (those with elected local legislatures) and crown colonies (those without elected local legislatures, and ruled directly by its appointed governors and councils) of the British Empire. == Background == The English had raised militia forces in their colonies in the New World immediately upon establishing them in the first decade of the 17th century.