Martial Law is by far one of the greatest nightmares we might face, one that leaves many preppers up at night.

This is because it can occur in the midst of any natural or man-made disasters.

The march into Martial Law is frequently overlooked by the general population, often branded as nonsense or something belonging to conspiratorial websites. Yet what’s going on in this country is just what our founders have warned us of, and Martial Law is something they’ve taken very, very seriously.

When Martial Law is going on, the world is in so much trouble that even the government won’t be able to handle it. Now I’m assuming Martial Law hasn’t happened yet.

Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been able to read this. This means that you have the opportunity to prepare for it, and I hope, for your sake, that you will do it fast.

Let’s dig in.

What is Martial Law

Martial Law has no established definition, so if you’re looking for a general definition of Martial Law, then Martial Law essentially means using state or national military power to impose the government’s will on the citizens.

Soldiers, rather than city police, execute the law. Military officers make strategic decisions rather than elected officials. People convicted of offenses are taken to military courts rather than regular civil courts. In short, the army is in charge.

Under Martial Law, fundamental liberties and freedoms are abolished and citizens are no longer entitled to their constitutional rights. It effectively helps the army, or a tyrannical politician, to break the Constitution and enforce its will by military force.

The History of Martial Law in U.S. History

In one way or another, tyrants have often used political authority to suppress and influence the people. Although if we’re searching for specific instances of Martial Law being used within the United States, we don’t have to search too hard or deep to find them.

Using the strictest meaning of the word, we can see the origins of Martial Law taking place in America during the time leading up to the Revolutionary War. While there were many motives for the war, including opposition to taxation levied by the British Parliament, the primary cause for England was the use of armed powers to enact the daily rule in the colonies.

Many of the most striking examples of this can be seen in the civil war. Although the history books of today largely neglect the true motives for the war or the several crimes committed by President Lincoln, the reality of what actually happened cannot be denied.

As an example, On 15 September 1863, President Lincoln imposed Martial Law by Congress. In fact, Lincoln had never had a top priority to eradicate slavery. In fact, Lincoln had never wanted to eliminate slavery. His primary interest was to centralize political authority and use the federal government to exercise full control over all residents.

The abolition of slavery was merely a by-product of the war. It actually took the thirteenth amendment to bring an end to slavery, as Lincoln really only liberated Southern slaves, not slaves, in states loyal to the Union.

Lincoln suspended the writing of Habeas Corpus without the consent of Congress. Lincoln put down or spoke against, publications whose authors expressed some dissension to the position of the Union.

Lincoln raised his forces without the approval of Congress. Lincoln closed the courts by force of statute. And eventually, without cause or trial, he too arrested residents, newspaper owners, and public officials

What Will Happen When Martial Law Takes Place

I’m pretty confident that the term “Martial Law” will never be seen. The word ” state of emergency” would undoubtedly take its place first. Martial Law can easily be accomplished globally, in situations of conflict, major terrorist threats, or locally, as observed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Examples of what has occurred in modern years include Martial Law in New Orleans, August 2005. New Orleans has been declared a disaster area, and the governor has declared a state of emergency.

This allowed state officials to order evacuations and forcibly evict people from their residences, suspend some rules, confiscate weapons and suspend selling products such as liquor, firearms, and ammunition.

In the following of hurricane Katrina, New Orleans Police Department, U.S. Marshals, and the Louisiana National Guard illegally seized more than 1,000 lawful weapons from law-abiding civilians.

During Martial Law, you will probably see:

• The suspension of the Constitution is likely to persist with the first amendment.
• Detainment of firearms; it has happened in history, and it may happen again.
• Suspension of Habeas corpus: Jail without due process and without trial.
• Travel limits, including road closures and likely quarantine areas.
• Obligatory Curfews and Required Identification.
• Automatic search and seize without a warrant.

By the way, here’s our guide on how to prepare for hyperinflation.

When Likely is Martial Law in the U.S.

Let’s address it now. The nation is a complete mess. From massive civil strife, crime, and violence to the rising national debt, which comprises a whole segment of our society that relies on government aid to survive, the writing is on the wall: Trouble is coming.

In my view, we are now in the preliminary form of Martial Law. The founders never expected standing armies to police the United States’ people; unfortunately, that’s just what we have. Drones, armored vehicles with high-powered guns, tanks, and fighting helicopters are no longer something you can find on an overseas battlefield; they are all normal operating practices at police stations across the country.

Our federal government has invested billions of dollars into militarizing and taking over our country’s municipal police departments in what can only be characterized as a domestic military force or a standing army equipped to enforce federal law.

So what exactly do I mean that this has already started?

On 29 September 2006, President George W. Bush signed the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the fiscal year 2007 (H.R. 5122). 

The legislation increased the power of the President to declare Martial Law in the form of amendments to the Rebellion Act. In fact, it allowed the President to take command of the National Guard forces without the consent of the state governors.

Although several parts of the bill were rolled back in 2008, President Obama used the 2012 NDAA to further expand the Executive Office’s right to declare Martial Law and introduced clauses that would allow U.S. armed forces to arrest U.S. civilians without trial.

In March 2015, the Obama administration set up a task force detailing our nation’s police rules. In his Task Force on the 21st-century Police Report, he proposed the establishment of the National Police Standards and Oversight Division of the federal government.

The study went on to explain how the Department of Homeland Security should be used to “ensure that community police tactics in the state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies are incorporated into their role in homeland security.”

The last and most troubling example is the growing number of Combined Police/Military Practices that view American citizens as theoretical risks.

From the Jade Helm military drills that identified Texas and Utah as dangerous areas to the California National Guard, using crisis actors to represent “right” U.S. civilians in their training exercises, there is an increasing number of military-style drills that portray American citizens as seen as a threat.

Back in 2012, the Army’s study on the military’s potential utilization as a U.S. police force aimed into possible scenarios that the U.S. did. The army may be used against Tea Party “insurgents” that take over U.S. cities.

Over the same time frame, the Department of Homeland Security issued a study entitled “Hot Spots of Terrorism and Other Crimes in the United States,” in which it claimed that the federal government considered the country’s greatest terrorist danger – the threat to U.S. people of radical “right-wing” views.

The United States of America that our Fathers have created is gone; it has been replaced by a system that has become so strong that most people do not even know that they have been enslaved by that same system.

What Would Life Be Like Under Martial Law

It’s not too hard to picture what Martial Law would look like. Life would certainly be difficult, and you would definitely be stripped of your rights. 

I have never lived under this, but I can recall many moments in history and even events occurring under communist rule.

With that, I could paint a picture of what Martial Law could look like. Groups of armed men will walk the streets throughout the day. Your weapons will likely be confiscated if you don’t store them properly. 

Your food, water, and other items will still be seized, and you will no longer be able to store them.

If you’re trying to get food or water in an area, you may have to wait hours and hours in line for a loaf of bread. Expect massive economic inflation. Any car can be halted or confiscated at any moment. Health is going to be a major problem.

Without running water for most households, rats and cockroaches could multiply and spread disease. News is going to circulate slowly. 

And a lot of it is going to be inaccurate. A simple rule of thumb is never to trust something you hear under Martial Law until you’ve seen it with your own eyes.

There will certainly be a termination of habeas corpus. You will no longer have the right to a fair hearing. If you do anything wrong, even if it is for the sole reason of protecting yourself and your family, you will be judged by a military court.

The free press is going to be history, and so is the freedom of speech. You should expect armed checkpoints to be set up, even in small cities.

Whether you’re a rioter, a troublemaker, or even a suspected person, you should prepare to have “meetings” with the military. You may even be prohibited to leave town even though you didn’t do anything wrong.

Many normal people will be spies. Under Communist Romania, this was a big deal. Since the dictatorship collapsed, several high-ranking officials, journalists, and musicians suspected each other of being spies.

Expect to be scarce with the power, hot water, and even TV air time. I even predict that the open Internet is going to be a thing of the past. You might expect to lose your house. In 1950, many hotels and homes were abruptly turned over as belonging to the “people” without any compensation for their current owners.

And if you do not have the means of communication, you should expect the military to rule.

They’re probably going to have a chain of command and a degree of structure in their hierarchy if you believe that you and your neighbors should rise up to them in order to defend your freedoms.

I recommend that you still think this is a good thing. Few people want Martial Law to endure. Others are ready to die for their rights.

Your decision is yours, so please don’t be upset or patronize those who don’t make the same choice as you do. We’re all in it together.

Here’s how national debt may lead to a financial crisis.

How to Prepare for Martial Law

So how do you do to prepare for such an event? Let’s take it one step at a time.

1. Become a Prepper

It’s all about stocking up on food, water, medication, equipment, firearms, and gear. Learn survival skills and develop them before Martial Law happens.

In fact, this entire site is filled with articles on survival and preparedness. You will keep up-to-date with the latest news and articles by following me on social media and bookmarking this website.

You can also check this emergency list and make sure that you do not skip any important things.

Here are the major aspects of being prepared if you want to escape Martial Law:

• The shelter is essential. You deserve to find a comfortable place to stay. A fortified house, a bug off place, or even a tent or a tarp to create shelter in the wilderness.
• Food for you, for your mates, and for your pets. The more, the easier it is. But don’t forget about water.
• Medicine. Bear in mind any medical problems that you or your family members may have.
• Gear.
• Firearms and ammunition.
• Your level of fitness. You’re going to need to be solid and in shape.
• Survival skills. Can you start a fire?
• Drills, guy. You ought to practice evacuation, bugging, etc.

2. Expect Betrayal

When this occurs, you can bet anything that many groups will act like military or law enforcement agents or even threaten to take over the nation and become law.

This is most likely to happen when, like us, preppers like to say, in a WROL (Without Rule of Law) post-disaster scenario, when there is going to be a lot of uncertainty and uncertainty.

3. Choose to Fight or Flight

When the time comes, you’re going to make the most important decision of your life. You’re either going to bug in or out, waiting for the dust to settle, or you’re going to fight for your country and your freedoms.

Now I’m not going to tell you which of these choices is better for you. There is an open discussion about this with a lot of pros and cons on both sides. I’m trying to make it happen so that you make a decision and then see it out when the time comes. Whatever your decision is, it must be perfectly clear.

4. Be in A Trustworthy Group

When this happens, it’s going to be you and the patriots of your society versus the government. But if you want to count on their support when that happens, you need to make friends with them right now.

You can also make battle preparations for them if you want to. This will mean that you can protect your turf until the Martial Law hits and the rival groups attempt to conquer your territories.

If necessary, hold daily meetings to help coordinate and plan. Take a look at your combined range of skills (medical, woodworking, weapons, gardening, etc.) and see if any of them are lacking.

You need to build a real survival dream team from your family members and your prepper mates but beware of betrayal. You never know if someone is a double agent or when they try to take over when the time is right.

5. Avoid “Concentration” Camps

If you read the news when Katrina occurred, you couldn’t have overlooked the headlines about the Louisiana Superdome that had been used as a shelter for more than 20,000 refugees.

You see, even though the Superdome was designed to survive these kinds of emergencies, the construction itself was not the concern. The concern was the people inside and the circumstances in which they had to survive.

I could go on and on, but you’re going to get the idea. If you end up in one of these camps that are meant to keep you safe, you should expect to have no food, no water, no weapons, and no protection. So what’s the solution?

You either sit and protect your turf or your bug at the first sign of Martial Law. Heck, even though things don’t look that bad, you should still probably bug out if you’re going. Don’t wait too long. Otherwise, it may be too late.

6. Become a Gray Man

In brief, you need to maintain a low profile to avoid revealing yourself, your family, your guns, and your preps. It also means that you keep your mouth shut at all times. Never give up some bit of information unless it’s about protecting your life or that of your family.

When Martial Law is the only law, all walls have eyes. And don’t expect just one person that wants to violate your rights. Your neighbor, the survival dream team member, the army, they’re all going to fight to figure out what you’re up to.

Final Thoughts

When things start going downhill, you know what will happen and how to prepare for it. Remember that your rights will be suspended when Martial Law occurs, and you must follow my tips to survive them.

Thank you for reading this article. Please consider following us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Also, consider sharing this content and subscribing to get 100+ free survival ebooks.