Happy 370th National Guard

The National Guard, the oldest component of the Armed Forces of the United States and one of the nation's longest-enduring institutions, celebrated its 370th birthday on December 13, 2006. The National Guard traces its history back to the earliest English colonies in North America. Responsible for their own defense, the colonists drew on English military tradition and organized their able-bodied male citizens into militias.

I asked myself the other day when i saw that you said you are retired I wonder how he spends his days....................................that is a very cool fact, but now i know how you spend you days:cross:

David, you know liars figure and figures lie...this is not personal...you know we get along...I just need to help spread the truth...

If the dates are provided to you by our great government officials then please take them with a grain of salt because no matter how many times they say it or click your heels together it will never become fact.

You're talking 1636! We were still a floundering British colony.

The colonies (NOT the "US") didn't declare its independence until 1776 and we didn't become the United States until after the Treaty of Versailles which formally ended the Revolutionary War.

George Washington was our first President, correct? WRONG!!! We had 14 presidents BEFORE GW!!! GW didn't become president until 1789!

So, who ran the country from 1776 until 1783? GOOGLE "presidents before george washington". You'll find out we had 8 presidents before GW! Each one served a period of 1 year terms. Some of these guys have streets named after them in Philly. I know. I lived on Mifflin Street.

Glad to help spread the TRUTH about these "United States"...I wonder why they never taught us that in school???

The 370 years is based on the National Guard being descended from the colonial militia. As the National Guard, it is much shorter. Just as the Air Force traces it's history from the Army Air Corps. The Marine Corps is the oldest US military organization operating in its original form.

The presidents before Washington presided over over congress and were members of that congress, appointed by that congress. There was no executive branch of the government under the Articles of Confederation. It would be most accurate to ask, "Who was the first elected President?"

Mifflin Street in Madison is known for student teneament housing and rampant dope smoking.

I'm not trying to be a smart ass, just a little snarky.

I make this observation because, in just about every big city in America, the worst crime-ridden drug infested street is named after some President or other.

the worst crime-ridden drug infested street is named after

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It wouldn't be politically correct to mention what street name holds this distinction in most California cities.

When you add Rev. Dr. Jr. it also ends up being the longest street name.

Come on Dave. That's like saying I'm descended from Adam and Eve when I don't have a clue who my great-greatgrandparents were.

Still the point is that in 1636 we were still British...not another nation.

That's kind of my point...as a "nation" the National Guard was founded in 1789...as are all of "our" services, not counting the Air Force naturally.

Another accurate question would be who was the first President of the United States?

Another would be why don't schools teach about the presidents between 1776 and 1789? They only skim over the Continental Congress. Another compelling question is why don't students ask the same question themselves? I bet you a dollar to a donut that most kids believe that Washington was president in 1776!

Hate to argue with you HB but the united states of America was not a true country back then. Each state was a sovereign entity(article 2), meaning that nobody else had jurisdictions above them. The USA was basically the UN or EU, a group of countries that agree to certain terms. It wasn't until the Constitution was signed and ratified that the USA became a "true state." The definition of state is; a politically organized body of people usually occupying a definite territory; especially : one that is sovereign. We just kept the name though really states aren't states. As to the real question who was the first president of the United States of America? GW, the position wasn't created until the Constitution was signed. The men you bring into question were the presidents of the congress not of the USA.

You're not listening...I DO admit that GW was the 1st President of the US, but not our (as in the colonies...) first president., but since you mentioned we were not a country until after the Constitution was signed then all of our services birthdays would also be that date...would they not??

Hopefully without stirring too much personal emotion and certainly at risk of furthering political debate on a self-professed non-political forum:

HB99 - the Guard is commemorating a long history of our states having the ability to defend themselves. Since the colonial militia had much the same mission as the National Guard does today, the Guard claims its roots with the militia. You are correct that the modern National Guard is much younger - only 103 years old. However, our country (or state or nation or colonies) has a longstanding tradition of unity and defense of our way of life, and that's the point of the 370 year celebration. It's not a government conspiracy or perversion of fact. In fact, the National Guard website describes the whole history.

TA-DAAAAA!!!

...The Militia Act of 1903 created the modern National Guard and affirmed the National Guard as the nation’s primary organized combat reserve force...

Propaganda...one's own version of history...