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Why did the Articles of Confederation include provisions about militias?

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Second Amendment The Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

The Articles of Confederation included provisions requiring every state to maintain a "well regulated and disciplined militia" to ensure the common defense and security of the states.1

Under Article VI of the Articles of Confederation, states were prohibited from keeping standing armies or ships of war in peacetime without the consent of Congress, except for what was deemed necessary for local defense or to garrison forts. Consequently, the militia served as the primary military force for the states, providing a manpower pool for defense and ensuring that each state remained "sufficiently armed and accoutred" with the necessary weapons, ammunition, and equipment. This structure reflected the broader historical objective of distributing the power of the sword among the people, the states, and the federal government to provide for national security while guarding against the potential for tyranny.123