 As a part of Pennsylvania's official militia, the Pennsylvania State Guard was trained, organized, and funded by the state of Pennsylvania, answered to the governor, and could not be federalized or deployed abroad.Both the National Guard of the United States and state defense forces trace their roots to the state militias which made up the majority of the military forces of the United States before the Militia Act of 1903 went into effect, creating the modern National Guard system.Prior to this act, the United States maintained a small, full-time military which would be supplemented by state volunteer units during war.