In the French colonial period, a proposal was made in 1708 to organize the first Michigan militia at
Fort Detroit which is referenced in the
Cadillac Papers. Following the defeat of the French regime, Michigan militias were also organized during British colonial occupation prior to the arrival of the Americans. The earliest evidence of a formally organized American-style
militia in pre-Territorial Michigan can be traced back to a militia unit participating in a Detroit parade on May 11, 1803. Michigan Territory was organized on June 30, 1805. File:Milice canadienne francaise 1759 - Mary Elizabeth Bonham.jpg|Pre-Territorial Michigan militias began in the 18th century with the formation of
French Canadien civilians to help defend French colonialsettlements such as
Fort Detroit which continued into the British colonial period File:Coureur de bois.jpg|Pre-Territorial Michigan militias also consisted of
French Canadien frontiersman known as
coureur de bois who lived with and in the fur trade of the
Native Americans in the
Great Lakes region which continued into the British colonial period ==Territorial Militia==