colonies had militia laws that required every able-bodied white man to be available for militia duty and to provide his own arms. in 1774 and 1775, the british government, which now had a larger presence, attempted to disarm american colonists. this caused the colonists to form private militias, independent of any control by the governors appointed by the british government. the minutemen who fought the british army at the battles of lexington and concord were an independent militia.