"1% gun ownership during American Revolution?" Topic

Well, we did stave off the present-day politics debate for a few posts.

Here in Pennsylvania, we belong to an un-organized militia.

Conclusion drawn from the link below –

Conclusions: Present U.S. and Pennsylvania law clearly fail to implement the requirements for organizing and training the Militia established by the Framers. However, we must also recognize that this failure goes all the way back to 1792, and that such organizing and training are, therefore, left to the people themselves, in the form of independent local militias, which they have a constitutional duty to maintain in a high state of preparedness, even if they get little support from the authorities, and indeed, especially if they get opposition from the authorities.

The link:

1stpa-militia.net/guide.htm

GdeP (which might now be interpreted as Garde de Pennsylvania!)

Found the book: DEFENDERS OF LIBERTY: AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR by Lt. Col. Michael Lee Lanning (Ret.).

The First Rhode Island Regiment did enlist 88 slaves (who were promised freedom for their service) as well as an unknown number of free blacks, however Lanning states that the total number of blacks never exceeded at most 140 men, with an initial total, white and black, including officers and noncoms, of 175. So, yes, it was never a true all-black regiment. Another company of 50 was added relatively quickly, but the book does not state the race of these soldiers, and I don't know whether that information was recorded or not. As the war progressed, the regiment suffered casualties and gained replacements, though I believe the latter were entirely white. In any case, the blacks in the First Rhode Island were armed as any other regiment, and those who survived served for the duration of the war. Lanning does not record what became of their arms afterwards (or if any recruits already possessed arms when enrolled).

Living in the U.S., and in a conservative portion of Virginia, "we" are accustomed to seeing or knowing people who have dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of firearms, (yes, I know a few people who have several thousand working firearms). This largely accounts for the 1+ firearm per person, or most likely, much more. So 3% may seem quite low, at least from an "American" perspective.

1803 was between two U.S. conflicts, so I don't know how true this would be five, six or seven years later.

It does seem low to me, but again I am thinking in terms of now, and as an American, so I don't really know if this is reasonable or not.

What was percentage gun ownership among the various European civilian populous during the same time…"The War(s) of Empires", or among civilians during the American theatre in 1812?

I think 3% could easily be supported/refuted if the above are known.