Final answer:
Minutemen were the militias known to be ready to fight at a minute's notice, an immediate response force during the early stages of the American Revolutionary War, particularly noted for their role at Lexington and Concord.
Step-by-step explanation:
The militias that were known to be ready to fight at a minute's notice were called Minutemen. These Minutemen boasted that they could be ready for military action imminently, a testament to their preparedness and commitment to the colonial cause. They sprang from the need for a quick reaction to British military actions, especially following events like the Tea Party of December 1773. Colonial militias, which had been established in the seventeenth century, made up of able-bodied men who were responsible for their own weapons, found their elite in the Minutemen during the heightened tensions leading to the Revolutionary War. They not only took pride in their vow to be swiftly mobilized but also played a significant role in the early battles of the revolution, such as those at Lexington and Concord.
The colonial militia maintained stores of weapons, shot, and powder to prepare for their defense against impending British actions. When British forces, under the command of General Gage, moved to seize these supplies, they found themselves up against the determined and agile Minutemen who proved to be challenging adversaries. The Continental Army, formed by the Second Continental Congress, absorbed many of these quick response forces, who continued to participate in the fight for independence until the war's conclusion.