Most of the preppers were thinking they finally are getting a leg up on being ready for the imminent concerns with our dangerously fragile economy, and everything else. But the incredibly grim news is that all the preparation will mean nothing if the government does not allow you to reap the benefits of all your hard work and sacrifice.

The beginning of the end of one of our most precious liberties–the right to our physical privacy, and all that goes with it–is set to go into effect throughout the country this summer, depending upon the responsive cooperation of various state participation efforts.

It is the full scale implementation of the “REAL I.D. ACT”, which stands for “National Identification and Location Registration Card.”

The bitterly sad thing is that almost nobody seems to care about this monumental infringement upon our freedoms. And the reality is that this is no longer a ’conspiracy theory’ for some future totalitarian scenario, but it is here now! Few even know what I’m talking about anymore at this point. Be honest with yourself: how many of you reading this now were even aware of this?

Some of you might recall something in past news about this ‘National I.D Card’ nonsense being brought up by obsessed agenda motivated supporters of the Patriot Act, and nobody in their right mind was for it, so it all had to get shot down, right?

Wrong. We, the People, must have missed the shot. Or maybe ”the target” had camouflage and was moving too fast below radar, and there was a deliberate intention to obfuscate the effort and ‘slip’ it through the back door of their totalitarian agenda.

Where Did It Come From?

The ’REAL I.D.ACT’ came out of the Patriot Act and all renewed or newly issued drivers licenses since 2005 required the applicants to show proof of residence (lease, utility bills, etc.) along with other personal private information.

Why would they really need all that just to know that you are a competent and safe driver? Even a more important question is why do they have to know everything about you and everything you do but there’s no transparency when it comes to ‘government activities?

A lot of ‘bad’ laws are always conveniently slipped into relatively ambiguous bills when nobody was really looking or even reading it before they voted on it. So how would most of the population know the dirty details of what the government is really doing behind our backs? They even mock us with tongue in cheek insults like Nancy Pelosi does by saying things like ”first we have to pass the bill to find out what’s in it”!

Essentially the ‘powers that be’ want no private citizen in this great land of the free to have the right to be alone where nobody, including the government, can find them and bother them, even if they don’t want to be disturbed! It’s absolutely imperative for an agenda based government to know everything you do, and everything you ‘might’ do in the future!

{adinserter bph}Congress passed the ’REAL I.D.ACT’ in 2005 apparently, with nary a hoot nor a holler by anybody over the  quiet, whisper-death of another private part of our lives. And many would be surprised how many so called liberty minded Republicans also voted for it.

It means that eventually every citizen will be mandated and required to have a national I.D. card to go about their daily business in society which states their real identity AND–even more importantly–their real time actual place of residence. You know, that supposedly private place where you go to lay down your tired bones and privately harbor your good stuff to keep it safe from intrusion.

Additionally your new I.D. photo picture will go into a face recognition data base. This is so they can immediately know who they are looking at when you are shopping at Walmart or taking your dog for a walk.

Your ’REAL I.D.’ will usually be your driver’s license, but if you don’t drive, this will default to a registered ‘State photo I.D.’ card. So there’s no way to avoid it unless you drop out of society completely and live isolated somewhere under a rock or something and just don’t do anything much in life anymore.

Ostensibly, the blatantly specious notion posing as the ‘public safety’ rationale for this mass destruction of our privacy was supposedly to restrict so called potential sleeper terrorists from gaining access to flights and sensitive government property. What amazes me to no end is how stupidly gullible the government must think we are with this justification. But apparently they must be correct. After all, they DID get away with it.

There were at least two congressional hearings over the past few years which determined that the Patriot Act’s mass blanket NSA spying and other fiat violations of the Constitution actually, in pragmatic reality,  did virtually NOTHING to prevent further terrorist acts or enhance public safety!

But The FBI director was all over the media with the obligatory ‘false flag’ announcement that supposedly there are at least a hundred ISIS sleeper cells ready to ‘explode’ in America  after an unverifiable social media announcement apparently by an ISIS soldier announced it. How convenient, especially since the FBI director’s purpose for the media exposure was to promote the continuation of NSA spying on all of us– in the wake of the recent higher court ruling that it violated the 4/A– for the purpose of tracking these jihadists.

Guess what?  The next day there was another media announcement that all the computers and cell phones the NSA was monitoring that supposedly belonged to ISIS related jihadists suddenly disappeared off the radar, or in Spy-speak, they went dark and invisible. So much for ANY justification or mendacious excuse for mass spying on the privacy of the people.

Why Do We Need Real I.D.Act?

All military or security sensitive government agencies already have plenty of security and steps in place and even their own I’D’ credentials to get access to sensitive or restricted locations.

I already have to show an official DOD I.D. if I want in/on certain areas of a military base of government building. They don’t need or even care to see my state driver’s license. That’s always been a standard operating procedure of basic common sense national security. For more sensitive security access you submit to a retinal scan after you’ve been thoroughly vetted.

So a potential ISIS terrorist has about as much chance being a threat accessing important  sensitive areas as an elephant has squeezing into a Sardine Can. So the government is just lying about that!

Airline flights are already screened to a point of virtual 14^th century violation of your body parts with the same humiliating body cavity strip search they give to criminals entering prison. They can’t do anything more unless they put you in a straightjacket and lock you in a dog transport cage for the duration of the flight and don’t let you out until you’re off the plane!

So why do you need a Real I.D to fly anywhere?  This country is supposed to have unrestricted freedom of movement in the public venue. What’s next, signing in to your personal vehicle so the government can log where you’re driving to? We’re already pretty close to that with ‘License Plate Scanners’ being the current ‘rage’ among thieving municipalities. But that’s another big fat one.

Why would the government need to have the unrestricted authority to know exactly where to find and access any and all private citizens who are merely minding their own business, just to keep potential terrorists from doing their terrorist acts?

This is America, not a Euro-Socialist FEMA Camp or a country where even the cops aren’t allowed to have firearms, so the jumping jihad psychos can stand in the street waving their AK’s and gloating over their murderous act while the police back up and run.

Unlike elsewhere in the world, in America–despite some cops cause a lot of consternation for citizens and other cops–most of the Police understand that their primary mission is to help and protect the citizenry and can definitely rise to the capability to handle any amount of weapon wielding terrorists decisively and quickly. They did it so admirably at the art center in Texas when a 60 year old experienced cop very expertly took out the terrorists in a high speed shoot out. And under such emergencies many civilians–also well-armed–would also assist the Police if needed.

So why anyone in government would try to justify a National KGB style approach for a problem that simply doesn’t exist? And if it did, we already can handle it quite cost effectively with normal Police and public awareness practices.

Do they mean to insult us all by saying that you couldn’t prevent psychotic terrorists from entering a public defense building or flying on an airline without violating the 4^th Amendment guaranteed sacrosanct privacy of the American free citizens?

Or might it be really just so they can come visit anyone unannounced anytime you want, to add even more abuse to the 20,000 or so annual SWAT raids on private homes every year.

And I’ll bet that most of you didn’t know that the police check the purchase ‘registration’ records of the BATF before the raids to see if you are a law abiding citizen who buys their firearms on the ATF form 4473. This is done so that they could more easily obtain a ‘No Knock’ warrant from the judge so they can bust in on you fast before you can defend yourself from the home invasion. Well, that’s not a misprint, check it out.

Didn’t the Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986 make federal government registration of private guns illegal? Yes, it did, but the FOPA act had a ‘loophole’ with  a reverse okey-dokey on the people in the form of not precluding the police from inquiring into the history and location of a firearm during the course of an official investigation. Essentially it is definitely still, a below radar registration system if you need any form of information to be recorded in any manner, such as a background check and form 4473, if anybody at all can use that info to learn the location of the firearm.

And that, my friends, gets us closer to the absolute truth of what is really happening here. There is no justification for a National I.D. Registration… except for one.

Smashing Your OPSEC to Pieces

Most people, by their own ’opsec’ deficiencies, are not too cautious or circumspect when it comes to allowing any Tom, Dick, or Hacker to gain access to  private information about themselves in the general sense such as phone numbers, home addresses, checking account numbers, emails, and even social security numbers. That’s why identity theft is now so prevalent causing so much financial damage to people.

This info dispersion has been pre-programmed into our social perspective ever since they first came out with credit cards and computers. Everybody takes advantage of this on the slippery slope of sheeple privacy abuse. This is bad enough, but it’s mainly our own decision, even if it’s a potentially bad choice. But when criminals and others can match up such personal info with your private residence address simply by accessing your driving information with a basic hack, you are then literally asking for the nightmare to commence.

It’s a dangerous world out there even without false flag of jihadists, and the more someone knows about your personal business and whereabouts, the more likely you will be a crime victim that will cost you far more than any false sense of security manufactured by an out of control government.

Optimal Opsec absolutely requires that your privacy should be protected at all costs. And now the government once again puts us in harm way by violating our constitutional right to privacy, by making it dangerously easier for anyone, especially gun grabbing Police State to find us. In other words, you didn’t have to let anybody know where you lived, that was your own private business.

“Oh, but you really CAN’T do anything anymore without showing or giving your personal info anymore. You can’t pass a check, you can’t access anything. Everybody wants your SS number and your private residence address is on your driver’s license”.

Well, it wasn’t always that way and didn’t have to be like that before our privacy rights were intentionally diminished for a specific agenda. Social Security numbers are technically not legally a requirement for anything except banking transactions involving IRS reporting, and the credit reporting agencies if you need to use credit. There’s no law stating a business can’t ask you, but it’s not mandatory, and you can’t be discriminated against for not wanting to give it out.

And the law was always that police had to have a warrant or at least good probable cause to go searching for your SS and other personal private information unless you volunteered the info in consent.

Also, until the ‘REAL I.D. ACT, there never was a law that absolutely required your actual primary physical domicile on your driver’s license or any other I.D. You were required to have ’an’ address to send your license plate info to drive and other correspondence related to that if you wanted your plates and license delivered, but it could be your parent’s house or your mailing address or a PO box or any other address you wanted to get your mail correspondence delivered to. Or you could just apply in person at the DOT office and take care of business first hand.

What if you were a ‘working homeless person’ which was more common than you think, or a nomadic travel trailer wanderer, and you didn’t live in an apartment or house?

Think about truck drivers, or those young ones starting out–lived out of motel rooms, with family/friends, or back pack tents when not living in their truck sleeper, because it was a waste of money to rent an apartment or own a home when you only would spend a couple days a month close enough to use it. It was common practice for a driver to get a Post Office box in a conveniently traversed State and use that for their mail/contact address, etc, and be able to have that on your driver’s license.

With the new ’REAL I.D.’ law that’s no longer allowed. And the government lackey known as the USPS is also one of the regimes secret policing agencies, and now they are beginning to implement new in house policy changes mandating verification of private residency if you want to rent a P.O. Box. And, without a warrant, police are allowed to scrutinize the Post Office’s customer records anytime they feel like it, and even examine the mail you are receiving, as long the police mention that it’s part of an investigation.

But what if you are being stalked, have a death threat against you, or had a bad experience with identity theft so you want to  exercise your right to keep yourself and your whereabouts completely private now, or you just decide you want to drop out for a while and away from ‘humans’ and be left alone? You know, like Jesus did when he split to the remote desert to meditate and didn‘t tell anybody exactly what mountain cave he was going to camp out in.

So what if you don’t want anybody–except maybe God– to know where you live and what you do in the privacy of your own domain? Or, how about the government just not being allowed to know where we live mainly because it’s just none of anyone’s freaking business anyway in a free society to find out every dime you have so they can eventually take it away from you? Not to mention that this is supposed to be one of your essential guaranteed and lawfully protected constitutional rights!

How Did We Fall for This?   

You have to understand clearly what they want, because the methodology they deploy to gradually control and enslave us is as clever as it is sinisterly convoluted.

They want to know details of where you drive 24/7, who you talk to, what you buy…and they want to know what you think!

Ooops, and I almost forgot if I just didn’t hear Rand Paul reminding me of the fact that they’ll throw in some additional ‘Extreme Crime Prevention’ in the form of seizing any cash assets they find on you because they ‘believe’ the assumption that it has to be from drug money or other illegal commerce under the Asset Forfeiture laws now in place which Rand is trying to stop.

And be careful complaining about it and mouthing off to the police after they seize your slot machine Casino winnings or your church’s collection money you were taking to the bank just because it’s suspicious otherwise. They will construe you to be mentally ‘unstable’ and they will want to know if you have any guns to seize them also, without constitutional due process or a warrant.

How do they get away with that? We let them! Yes, WE, the Sheeple, obsequiously give them subservient permission by consenting to waive our constitutional rights allowing them to make constitutionally questionable laws.

What I just described is how a rapidly slipping down the slope of corruption out of control government will keep themselves unconstitutionally funded for as long as we let them get away with it. Today governments exist only for the perpetuation of their own self-interest and profit. We are their milking sheeple for that purpose.

History has proved that the only way to stop an out of control tyrannical ruling government is to get rid of it either by voting it out or throwing it out. In his country we usually can vote it out. but just in case, our Constitution requires that all citizens have complete access to the necessary force multiplying resources to accomplish that, if absolutely necessary.

The LAST Straws of Liberty

Recently the SCOTUS came through on sustaining our Constitutional Liberty by declaring the NSA spying on citizens to be illegal. As relieving and inspiring as this is, it barely mitigates the incessant inundation of back-door and below radar attempts to usurp our right to privacy. A lower court recently upheld the authority of police to randomly monitor our cell conversations and locations because we supposedly acquiesce and automatically consent to the Cell phone companies in allowing our conversations to be transmitted in a public environment. Therefore a warrant is not necessary!

It’s kind of a circumlocutory logic that defies common sense but does a good job of cheating on us. And in furtherance of this anti-2/A premise, will this eventually mean that anything we do anywhere that exposes ourselves to others will be considered ‘public domain’ and will be the green light for the government to spy on us with even more intrusion as well

And THAT is what it’s all about.  The government does not want to fear us, they want to control us, and they want US to Fear THEM. They need to dominate us if they want to continue their agenda based profit plans to squeeze the life worth out of the citizenry for their own power gain.

So the control part of it MUST eventually go a bit further. The main manifestation of all the spying, all the surveillance, all the tracking and privacy invasion, has but one ultimate purpose.

The Real Reason They Want to Know Exactly Where We Live…

… is to deprive us of our private firearms. They absolutely NEED to eventually seize and confiscate our 2nd Amendment guns to facilitate and complete their totalitarian control agenda.  I say 2nd Amendment guns because it’s not about hunting, or sporting, or self-defense, and the 2/A never was about that either. It was only about preventing just what the government is doing now.

It all started way back in 1934 with the original NFA ACT, then the ‘68 GCA, then the 1986 civilian Machine Gun Act ban, then the Patriot Act,  NSA Spying, and so on.

Just recently a leftist radical Congresswoman from New Jersey, ignoring the smack down they just received trying to ban so called AP 5.56 ammo, took the liberty of deciding for us that we need another shot at banning ammo by putting in a bill requiring registration, and eventual restriction,  of all ammo sales over the Internet. And they’ve got quite of few legislators backing it. Talk about hard to kill Zombies!

So that’s all it’s about, folks.  They want to eliminate all potential for physical civil disobedience and counter force resistance to the inevitable cycle of absolute tyrannical power control.

Once that is achieved, there is nothing to stop them from doing what they want. Elections will become co-incidental to their objective because the behemoth government regime will simply have control of all the money anyway and even YOUR tax Money. To do this effectively they must know what you purchased, and then, much more importantly, WHERE you have your guns.

Ultimately It Will Happen Like This…

It’s the summer dog days of 2017 with draught stress high, a badly inflated economy, and resulting social racial unrest dangerous in many parts of the country. And while we were all still waking up from our delusional comfort zone, Hillary’s first official Executive Order Mandate as POTUS was to declare a National State of Emergency after a series of ISIS style covert attacks on our grid system. FEMA Camps were ordered fully operational for national security.

By this time most of the Democratic states and far too many than we thought Republican states had caved and already passed universal background checks and private transactions between citizens in most of the country now required a paper trail like Louisiana has.

The gun show ‘loopholes’ were closed nationwide and Ammo was severely restricted by ATF and EPA toxic lead standards mandates which brought new gun commerce to a screeching halt among the populate and drove private party transactions underground into the black market. The national assault weapons ban was also re-instated and all citizens possessing such a firearm, and the attendant Hi-Cap magazines, shall voluntarily turn these in or be considered in criminal violation and immediately subject to forcible seizures and punishment.

Many scoffed and resisted in the belief that there were already too many guns out there in the hands of resisting citizens to keep the police from mass confiscations. And there simply wasn’t enough police or even military to control everyone and conduct blanket house to house searches. But we already slept too late on too many mornings in the past on that one also. The New NSA Metadata collection and analysis facility in Utah had been completed and was now up and ‘spying’ with one very special tool that changed everything in the world–Quantum Computers.

The Gun Grabber government understood the psychology of gun owners, especially the more ‘Patriotic’ ones and were just waiting patiently for ‘everything’ to fall in place in terms of the ‘tools of tyranny’ to achieve their obscenely tyrannical agenda.

After her National Emergency declaration Hillary instructed expanded covert alphabet agencies to commence the final stages of the population disarmament agenda for which they had already been in preparation for months. Hillary then ordered blanket Martial Law across the land with which most States were only too eager to comply for the reciprocity stimulation of federal funding.

Under vastly restricted public movement due to curfews now easily tracked and enforced with the ubiquitous expansion of public cameras with facial recognition technology, and license plate recognition and vehicle tracking, there was nowhere to even go, without getting tracked and stopped. They even knew where you were ‘going’ before you even knew! Military and Police were ordered to demand “Identification and location papers, please…”   of anyone they deemed suspicious and to set up travel checkpoints and do random stops as often as possible.

New A.I. algorithmic programs from the ‘god’-computer instantly tracked any and all citizens based on what they did on the internet, what they purchased, and any other detail of data available in cyberspace concerning private or public transactions, including phone calls with a traceable trail for the last 10 years. Then they came up with a profile of ALL persons likely to be anti-government inclined protesters or 2/A patriots almost instantly. And on top of the list were those most likely to have the most guns and use them.

The profiles would include potential ringleaders and ‘gun nuts’ likely possessing multiple firearms by data analysis. Also the criteria for ownership would be enhanced to preclude Combat Vets, people with psychological issues and several other non-criminal, but potentially dangerous to society by government standards, now creeping in to even the BATF’s new firearms purchase forms revised back in 2015.

Then they would come unannounced and knocking quietly at first, informing you that if you declined consent to search they will come in anyway, like they did chasing the Boston bombers. And if you protest too vociferously, you will be detained and sequestered at a FEMA Camp. They’ll have the latest wall penetrating radar and x-ray imaging detectors, etc.  If they find any firearms weapons you were supposed to turn in by Martial Law orders, you will be automatically arrested. They will also be checking you against a ‘potential enemy of the State terrorist list’, and almost any multiple gun owner could qualify.

But the main idea would be to break the back of any possible leadership for armed resistance to the government enslavement of the people by seizing the guns of the most able first patriotic responders. Combat trained Vets with PTSD and their family members will be near the top of the list, as well.

If you saw it coming and hid your main guns well away from your ‘REAL I.D. home’ but they have the metadata records indicating your likely ownership, they’ll not stand for the defense of ‘I’ve sold or gotten rid of them’.

They’ll request you take a new form of Lie Detection Test which now includes an enhanced brain electrode helmet. It will take less time to determine if you are lying or not then it takes to do a DUI field test and they will even give your children the test. You will have only one chance to give up your ‘illegal’ firearms or you will be threatened that your entire family will be taken to camps and separated.

So what good would your hidden weapons be anyway, if you can’t access them? The government also enacted a ‘Peace for Profit’ neighborhood watch program which paid people to assist government Martial Law efforts with any helpful information to be kept confidential, of course.

Any dreams of ‘Jeffersonian Revolution’ were decisively, quickly, and completely crushed into nightmares of reality.

Within a surprisingly short time, the end will have come…and gone, and although many groups still managed to march in the streets unarmed in limited token rebellious  defiance, they were easily ’handled’ with the new Sonic Mob Control devices and herded and arrested before any momentum could be gained. Some even managed to still have weapons but were vastly outgunned and unmercifully overwhelmed by anti-terrorist shock troops and police. After all, the police and military were ordered to attack potential ‘terrorists’, not law abiding American citizens. So they obeyed orders.

By Martial Law Emergency Executive Fiat, the 2^nd and 4^th Amendments were indefinitely suspended. The Government Gun Control disarmament mission was completed. The once proud and staunch armed American free citizenry was now totally emasculated… We had nobody to blame but ourselves.

Is There Any Hope?

The National I.D. Card law is in full implementation bias. They succeeded in putting the final unholy nail into the coffin within which they will bury our freedoms in a forlorn, eventually unmarked, forgotten grave. We cannot afford to let them continue digging that grave.

So we have one last chance left, people. Pound these ineffectual dysfunctional politicians who are supposed to represent our liberty interests until they get it straight! Let them know now that we don’t need no Patriot Act, NSA, or National I.D. Card! Tell them to vote to end the NSA spying and everything else that violates our Constitutional rights! The ultimate obligation of a true American patriot is not just to prepare and become self-reliant, the primary duty of everyone is to preserve our freedom.

Even the wise Judge Andrew Napolitano said that he can’t understand why there isn’t massive public outrage at the NSA and other privacy violating agencies unlawfully spying on us and destroying our inalienable rights. And why most of us sit quietly and seem to ignore it? Well, Judge, it’s because this government propaganda mind control system is so good at the bad things they do, that they even made Edward Snowden out to be a bad guy who was ‘just making up stuff that was never happening’.

Remember in the Congressional hearings when the Head of the CIA looked the Senator straight in the eye and lied when he said “We are not spying on innocent citizens”. Maybe he meant we’re all guilty because we own guns? Unfortunately we all are not as a whole that good at resisting indoctrination and mind control.

Remember, too, that it is not just a partisan problem. The Patriot Act was developed under the Bush Administration, and ALL government, no matter which party base is in power, wants the same thing from us once they cave to the ultimate drug addiction of totalitarianism. They want to take all we got, and everything we will ever have.

There’s an even more transparent proof indication that busts them out to their knees. They are obsessed with knowing your direct and exact address to easily access your guns and survival stash, but they don’t want you to be able to prove where you live, or anything relative to your right to vote! Otherwise you’d be too easy to catch doing voter fraud. In other clear words, you don’t need a National I.D. CARD to prevent manipulating elections, but you DO need one to buy a gun. A gun that should be none of anyone’s business but your own! How can this not be ringing those alarm bells in the backs of everybody’s brains yet?

We must proactively contact our representatives now and tell them to kill the Patriot Act especially and specifically the NSA spying section 215 they are voting on shortly. And while we’re at it, tell them to get ready to vote to kill Leftist New Jersey Rep Bonnie Watson’s illegal “Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act’ bill, and get ready to repeal the Real I.D. Act, and other treasonous laws as soon as we can.

We must never, ever, in our liberty loving lives, for the sake of the future of humanity, allow them to replicate the dreaded threat the Mafia always used to intimidate and terrorize people by saying ”We KNOW where you live!”

If things go sideways in a really bad way and I’m talking about the kind of bad that a region or country doesn’t quickly or ever bounce back from, more than likely you and your family will die if you’re not prepared.  Are you prepared enough to ensure your family can weather a major catastrophe?

I tend to try and be as optimistic as I can when I consider possibilities involving an SHTF scenario.  I consider myself a practical, pragmatic prepper of sorts and I tend to focus on the most probable of disaster scenarios that I’ll probably face in my area, like fires or earthquakes.  I’d like to believe that most catastrophic problems in my region can be resolved within 2 to 4 weeks assuming help comes.  But I know as a prepper it’d be foolish to not consider the possibility that things may not bounce back or help may not arrive.  If this were to happen, would I be ready to take care of myself and my family?  Many experts predict that if our power grid were to go down in the U.S., by the end of the first month, ½ of all Americans would die.  Can you live 30 days without power, water or food being available to you?

In this article, we’ll discuss the 10 most common ways people will die in the first month if there were an extended catastrophe.  While this topic could be perceived as discouraging, the good news is we’ll present solutions to ensure you and your family will be prepared to face these challenges.

By the way, if you haven’t read the book “1 Second After”, I encourage you to purchase it today…after reading this article of course. While it’s fiction, it’s a great read and covers many of these items we’ll be discussing in this article.

So let’s jump in discussing the top 10 things that will likely kill you or your family in the first 30 days after a catastrophe in which help doesn’t come.

The most shocking article can be found below.

Watch this video below to find out the great secrets hidden by the government.

1. The lack of water or even safe water to drink.

I put this intentionally first as you can only live 3 days without water.  The biggest killer at the beginning of a catastrophe will be people dying from either a lack of water or the inability to gain access to sanitary water.  If you’ve ever watched the news after a major catastrophe hits an area, you’ll see that lethal diseases will quickly run rampant through individuals that have been displaced.  The lack of sanitary water leads to diarrhea and other problems that can quickly kill people due to pathogens contaminating the water supply due to unsanitary conditions.

How do you protect against this?  Easy.  Having gravity fed water filtration or other water filtration systems that do not require power to operate will allow you to make your water safe.  In my family’s bug out bags, I have a few different water filters: a sawyer water filter, a life straw, and a pure sip personal water filter.  While these small filters are good for handling bacteria, they’re not really equipped to handle contaminants in water.  In our home, we have a Berkey water filter as well which we use on a daily basis.  These filters can make contaminated water safe to drink.  If you do not have water stored and a way to filter water, you need to focus on this first.  In addition, have bleach, iodine tablets, or pool shock to kill viruses if your filter doesn’t filter at this level.

2. Starving to death

The average person can only last 21 days without food.  Most Americans only have enough food for a few days as they’re used to visiting the grocery store every few days.  If a catastrophe prevents food deliveries to your local grocery store which typically carries enough supplies for 3 days, then what?  Malnutrition, food poisoning, and starvation will wipe out a large percentage of individuals in the first 30 days.

This problem can be easily remedied by building a short-term food plan.  In my home, I have stocked up on foods that we already use on a daily basis.  We pull the food from this inventory as we need it…things like spaghetti, rice, honey, beans, coffee, canned meats, canned food, etc.  This setup is by no means a long term food storage plan which we’ll cover in a future article, but rather this is food that is already used in our daily life.  Here’s what I did.  We started setting aside a little extra money in our budget each month to grab additional food we already used and added it to our inventory.  When we pull the food from our extra inventory supply we built up, we have a clipboard in our storage area where we write down what was taken and on our next trip we simply replace that food.  Many people focus on storing canned foods which are fine for short term, but having a balance of other foods that can easily sit on the shelf is a good idea as well.  Remember: begin stocking staple foods that are easy to store and prepare and have a balance of fat, carbs and proteins.

3. Your medication runs out

This one is a bit of a challenge as you can’t necessarily stock up on medications if your doctor only gives you enough of a supply until your next appointment.  After many catastrophes hit an area, apart from people making a run on their local grocery store to grab as much food and water as they can, you can expect people will make a run on their local pharmacy to secure the drugs they need to survive.  In addition, you need to consider the effect it will have in your local area when people come off meds.  Many people rely upon medications to not only deal with health issues but to keep them mentally stable.  Without their meds, there could severe side effects.  People will get desperate and potentially dangerous.  There will be those that need their meds to survive.  Without the meds, they won’t last long.  If your health condition can be managed with changes in your lifestyle (for example getting in shape and losing weight), you need to give serious consideration to this which leads us to our next point.

4. People will die because they’re out of shape

A few months ago I had a tree in my backyard which began dying and it was time to cut it down.  I don’t own a chainsaw and so I used an ax to cut it down.  Growing up we cut trees down all the time on our property and split wood…that was back when I was 18 years old.  Now that I’m over 40, that same task is more difficult.  Cutting down that tree was a bit of a challenge.  While I spend 3 days in the gym and try to do cardio activities on the other days, when cutting the tree down I began to realize I was no longer a spring chicken.  I was winded quickly and found myself wishing I had a chainsaw.  I got sloppy as well due to getting tired and nearly injured myself when I tried to cut the tree at an angle and nearly caused the ax blade to bounce into my leg (which I’ll talk about in the next point).  But the fact that I had been keeping myself in decent shape made the job possible.  In a grid down situation where things are not bouncing back, you’ll probably be required to perform physical activities to survive.

If you’re used to sitting in an office chair all day and not performing daily activities which push your body, you might be surprised how little your body will be up for strenuous labor.  Please don’t underestimate this point as something you can put off.  You have the opportunity to get your body in shape.  If you don’t push yourself, your body will naturally atrophy.  Also, consider things like how much extra weight you are currently carrying on your body.  Being obese can be a huge liability in a grid down situation.  With a modification to your diet, getting off your behind and begin moving on a daily basis, you can steer yourself in the right direction. The older I get, the more I realize the limitations of my body and the less I want to exert myself.  There may come a time when my family relies on me to have to work physically hard for them in order to survive and I don’t want to be unable because I had simply allowed my body to atrophy.

5. Individuals will die due to trauma, small injuries or simply get sick

As I mentioned earlier while chopping down the tree, I nearly had the ax blade slam into my leg.  While it’s easy to laugh this off as someone not being safe, think about how many people will get injured performing a lot of physical activities that carry the risk of injury.  Not only will major trauma potentially injure individuals, but think about how many have a minor injury that could lead to a severe infection.  If you’ve ever had a small cut that has turned into an infection that needed attention, you could simply visit your physician to get the proper medications to treat the problem.  But now imagine individuals getting small cuts and nicks that they neglect only have it turn into something worse and no one can help.  Not only do injuries carry a large risk of death, but getting sick can as well.

So what can you do?  Begin gaining medical knowledge and the proper medical supplies now.  In addition, make sure you don’t neglect basic sanitation.  Not that a long ago I took training through my local fire department named C.E.R.T.  Part of the training taught us how to stabilize individuals with major trauma.  I encourage you to begin researching courses like this in your local area.  My degree in college was Microbiology and during this time I spent a lot of time volunteering in hospitals.  While I am by no means a physician, while being in this environment I learned the basics in sanitation and treating minor injuries.  I have been working on stocking medical supplies and am working on expanding that out at this time.  There’s a lot of great channels on Youtube like the Patriot Nurse or Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy which are great for someone looking for help getting up to speed on the basics of medicine. At a minimum have a book in your inventory like The Survival Medicine Handbook.

You’ll Understand Everything After Watching This VIDEO! 

In addition, do yourself a favor and pick up a good pair of work gloves and safety goggles.

6. Lack of sanitation

In the previous point, I pointed out that individuals getting sick can result in death without medical attention.  If things go bad in your area, proper sanitation will be critical.  Have you considered how you will dispose of the waste your family produces?  By waste I am referring to your urine and excrement, in addition, leftover food or dirty dishes.  We’re so used to simply flushing our toilets and taking the trash out to the curb and the problem is gone.  But what happens when the sewage stops running and the trash man doesn’t come to pick up your trash.  Then what?

A lack of sanitation can lead to illness which can spread through your home and kill your family.  Began researching options to dispose of your waste.  Essential things like washing your hands thoroughly will be more important than ever.  Having a decent supply of hand sanitizer will be helpful as well.  When I lived in Afghanistan in 2003, I was fortunate that I never really got sick even though sanitation was a foreign concept in the general population.  I was OCD about sanitation and during my time working with an NGO and living with 24 other people in our house, fortunately, I didn’t have many of the health issues that our team members had.  I attribute my good fortune to staying on top of being careful to make sure I kept my hands clean, I sterilized my water bottle daily and made sure the dishes I used had been properly cleaned.  Not only can getting sick be a problem in your family, but consider the damage it can do to morale having sick family members or being sick yourself.

7. You die when looters come for your stuff

Many people envision the looters they’ll have to face will be gangs or some group of people displaced coming to take their supplies.  While marauders like this can potentially be a big threat, the reality is you may have neighbors or other family members which can turn on you if you’ve prepared and they haven’t.

When I first got serious about prepping, I thought sharing my excitement about prepping with friends and family would excite them to get serious about prepping.  It pretty much had the opposite effect: they looked at me strangely and later they brought up that if things were to go bad, they’d come to my house immediately to seek help.  Remember earlier we mentioned that only about 1% of Americans are “Preppers”?  Well, what do you think the other 99% of Americans are going to do when they can’t find water or food?  Thinking about this does concern me greatly because I’d never want to harm someone if they were hungry and coming for my stuff, especially if they were someone I knew and loved.  And by “coming for my stuff”, I don’t mean just asking or pleading.  When people get desperate, they will do anything it takes to survive.  And by “anything”, I mean “a-ny-thing”.  If you only have enough supplies to keep your family alive, what will do if that neighbor that hasn’t prepared goes past demanding help and decides they will take from you even if they have to hurt you or your family?

So what are you to do?  If gangs or looters are bent on hurting you for what you have then the answer is obvious, but what are we to do regarding friends or family?  This is a moral dilemma that goes through my head a lot and I see it often discussed in this community as well.  If you want to open your supplies to help others, remember you are lessening the probability your family will live that much longer and the probability those people you helped with keep coming back.  In my mind, there’s only 3 answers which I’ll run through quickly (and if you have other views please share them in the comment section below):  1.  Keep your mouth shut.  The less information you provide to others about what you have, the better.  2. Help others now and educate them.  While this might seem to be the exact opposite piece of advice from my point #1, you don’t have to disclose all your preps and show off everything you have to them.  Just help educate them that they should prepare.  I need to create a separate video for this, but I’ve slowly been introducing neighbors to prepping and they’ve begun taking steps to prepare.  Remember, the less desperate they are, the less of a threat they are to you.  3. Arm yourself.  If it comes down to it, you may have to be forced to protect your family.  While I have no desire to harm someone, if it comes down to me and my family and a person bent on hurting us, I’ll do what I have to do.  Side note: I don’t advocate violence and I greatly value human life.  Remember, if you harm or kill someone, you will ultimately be held accountable for your actions.  But when the social niceties that we enjoy in our society go out the window when people get desperate and they pose a threat to me or my family, I won’t hesitate for a moment to do whatever it takes to stop them.

8. You aren’t prepared for reality

So your plan is if things hit the fan is to grab that awesome bug out bag and run to the mountains and live off the land.  In your mind, you dream of picking berries, drinking from streams, trapping rabbits and hunting deer.  You’ll live in a tent with your family and survive in that national forest near you.  OK, so I don’t have time in this article to break this entire fantasy down, but good luck with that.

The reality is that all that cool tactical gear you bought with the molle, the 5000 rounds of ammo you’re storing up, those seeds you purchased online to build a big crop that you’ve never planted won’t save you.  If you’ve got a family, think you can run them into the mountains to live off the land?  If you’re not practicing this lifestyle now, you’re probably not going to suddenly transition overnight to this and suddenly thrive or even survive.  What am I saying here?  Live in reality on this issue.  The fantasy of becoming some amazing survivalist with several family members in tow isn’t going to last long.  I live in a suburban environment and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my 7000 square foot suburban home will not support my family long-term unless I prepare and think ahead now.  I know we can definitely survive for an extended period of time if we’re able to bug-in and don’t have any major conflicts as mentioned in the previous point.

So what can you do?  Network.  Build relationships with other like-minded preppers.  I’ve been fortunate to find a solid network in my area.  In the past, I have used the website meetup.com to find a local prepper group in my area.  You’ll definitely meet some oddballs but overall I’ve been able to meet some solid people.  While it’s beyond the scope of this article, the lone wolf mentality will only get you so far.  Live in reality and take an honest assessment of what you and your family can do and do yourself a favor and connect with other preppers that can help where you are deficient.

9. You freeze to death

I’m fortunate to live in a part of the U.S. that doesn’t get terribly cold during the winter.  But in many parts of the US, temperatures can drop to very dangerous levels that can kill.  So what will you do?  Gonna start that fireplace you have never used before?  OK, do you have firewood already cut and prepared?  If not do you have the tools to do so and do you have places around you to cut down firewood?  For many that can not get a fuel source in time before the temperature drops to dangerous levels, they’ll try burning things that they shouldn’t and stand the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning or possibly burning their home down.

If you have a fireplace, start by making sure the chimney is cleaned out and have firewood on hand that is already cut up.  Find methods that others use in your area to heat their home that is not dependent on the electrical grid functioning.  Each region is unique and different in how they handle heating homes and be sure to have a backup plan.

10. You give up

Last but not least, many people will simply give up.  Even those that have prepared to cover the points above, some will simply lose the will to move forward or to keep fighting.  Things may not go according to plans.  Bad things may happen.  Your supplies may get looted, someone in your home may die.  The list of what could happen could go on and on.  The key is this: do not give up.  Especially if you have a family or others depending on you.  You may have to dig deep inside to find the strength and fortitude that come hell or high water, you will not back down and you will not give up.  If you have dependents, giving up is not an option.  Remember this: a negative, defeated attitude can be like cancer and spread to others around you.  As we discussed earlier, morale in times like this is critical.  If you’ve ever read accounts from those that have had to survive extended periods of time in impossible situations, the will to survive and the morale required to do so was the only thing that enabled them to continue living when others around them gave up and simply died.  This goes beyond having the right tools or supplies.  If you are prepping now for yourself and your family, remember, they will be looking to you to lead not only in your preps but in those dark moments when all hope seems lost.  Don’t give up.  Determine now that will dig in your heels and align your mind to that end.  You may be the only beacon of hope others have.

While writing this article, it challenged me to reconsider a few things I need to focus on a little more and I hope it will do the same for you.  Again, please feel free to provide your feedback in the comment section below.

As always, be safe out there.

It’s one or two years after an EMP attack and you are safely tucked away in your retreat somewhere in the middle of nowhere.  Your storage foods have mostly been used and your high tech electronics is useless.   The really bad stuff is mostly past.  Now it’s try to stay fed and alive and pray that civilization as you know it is coming back.  You’re going to have to work your environment to live.  Ever wonder what life might be like?  What would it really be like to have no running water, electricity, sewer, newspaper or Internet?  No supermarket or fire department close at hand?

I have a good imagination but I decided to talk to someone who would know first hand what it was like: my mother.  She grew up on a homestead in the middle of Montana during the 1920s and 1930s.  It was a two room Cottonwood cabin with the nearest neighbor three miles away.  She was oldest at 9, so she was in charge of her brother and sister.  This was her reality; I feel there are lessons here for the rest of us.

The video below is simply shocking… Because not even Trump or Putin expect such a thing!!!

There was a Majestic stove that used wood and coal.  The first person up at four thirty A.M., usually her father, would start the fire for breakfast.  It was a comforting start to the day but your feet would get cold when you got out of bed. 

A crosscut saw and axe was used to cut wood for the stove and after that experience, you got pretty stingy with the firewood because you know what it takes to replace it.  The old timers say that it warms you when you cut it, when you split it, and again when you burn it.  The homes that were typical on homesteads and ranches of the era were smaller with lower ceilings than modern houses just so they could be heated easier.  The saw and axe were not tools to try hurrying with.  You set a steady pace and maintained it.  A man in a hurry with an axe may loose some toes or worse.  One side effect of the saw and axe use is that you are continuously hungry and will consume a huge amount of food.
Lights in the cabin were old fashioned kerosene lamps.  It was the kid’s job to trim the wicks, clean the chimneys and refill the reservoirs. 

The privy was downhill from the house next to the corral and there was no toilet paper.  Old newspaper, catalogs or magazines were used and in the summer a pan of barely warm water was there for hygiene.  During a dark night, blizzard, or brown out from a dust storm, you followed the corral poles-no flashlights.

There were two springs close to the house that ran clear, clean, and cold water.  The one right next to it was a “soft” water spring.  It was great for washing clothes and felt smooth, almost slick, on your skin.  If you drank from it, it would clean you out just as effectively as it cleaned clothes.  Not all clean water is equal.

The second spring was a half mile from the cabin and it was cold, clear, and tasted wonderful.  The spring itself was deep – an eight foot corral pole never hit bottom- and flowed through the year.  It was from here that the kids would fill two barrels on a heavy duty sled with water for the house and the animals.  They would lead the old white horse that was hitched to the sledge back to the buildings and distribute the water for people and animals.  In the summer, they made two trips in the morning and maybe a third in the evening.  In the winter, one trip in the morning and one in the evening.  They did this alone.

Breakfast was a big meal because they’re going to be working hard.  Usually there would be homemade sausage, eggs and either cornmeal mush or oatmeal.  More food was prepared than what was going to be eaten right then.  The extra food was left on the table under a dish towel and eaten as wanted during the day.  When evening meal was cooked, any leftovers were reheated.  The oatmeal or the mush was sliced and fried for supper.  It was served with butter, syrup, honey or molasses. 

The homemade sausage was from a quarter or half a hog.  The grinder was a small kitchen grinder that clamped on the edge of a table and everybody took turns cranking.  When all the hog had been ground, the sausage mix was added and kneaded in by hand.  Then it was immediately fried into patties.  The patties were placed, layer by layer, into a stone crock and covered with the rendered sausage grease.   The patties were reheated as needed.  The grease was used for gravies as well as re-cooking the patties.  Occasionally a fresh slice of bread would be slathered with a layer of sausage grease and a large slice of fresh onion would top it off for quick sandwich.  Nothing was wasted.
Some of their protein came from dried fish or beef.  Usually this had to be soaked to remove the excess salt or lye.  Then it was boiled.  Leftovers would go into hash, fish patties, or potato cakes.

Beans?  There was almost always a pot of beans on the stove in the winter time.
Chickens and a couple of milk cows provided needed food to balance the larder.  They could not have supported a growing family without these two resources.
The kitchen garden ran mostly to root crops.  Onion, turnip, rutabaga, potato and radishes grew under chicken wire.  Rhubarb was canned for use as a winter tonic to stave off scurvy.  Lettuce, corn, and other above ground crops suffered from deer, rats, and gumbo clay soil. Surprisingly, cabbage did well.  The winter squash didn’t do much, only 2 or 3 gourds.  Grasshoppers were controlled by the chickens and turkeys.  There was endless hoeing.

Washing clothes required heating water on the stove, pouring it into three galvanized wash tubs-one for the homemade lye soap and scrub board, the other two for rinsing.  Clothes were rinsed and wrung out by hand, then hung on a wire to dry in the air.  Your hands became red and raw, your arms and shoulders sore beyond belief by the end of the wash.  Wet clothing, especially wool, is heavy and the gray scum from the soap was hard to get out of the clothes.

Personal baths were in a galvanized wash tub screened by a sheet.  In the winter it was difficult to haul, heat and handle the water so baths weren’t done often.  Most people would do sponge baths. 

Everybody worked including the kids.  There were always more chores to be done than time in the day.  It wasn’t just this one family; it was the neighbors as well.  You were judged first and foremost by your work ethic and then your honesty.  This was critical because if you were found wanting in either department, the extra jobs that might pay cash money, a quarter of beef, hog or mutton would not be available.  Further, the cooperation with your neighbors was the only assurance that if you needed help, you would get help.  Nobody in the community could get by strictly on their own.  A few tried.  When they left, nobody missed them.
You didn’t have to like someone to cooperate and work with him or her.

Several times a year people would get together for organized activities: barn raising, butcher bee, harvest, roofing, dance, or picnics.  There were lots of picnics, usually in a creek bottom with cottonwoods for shade or sometimes at the church.  Always, the women would have tables groaning with food, full coffee pots and, if they were lucky, maybe some lemonade. (Lemons were expensive and scarce)  After the work (even for picnics, there was usually a project to be done first) came the socializing.  Many times people would bring bedding and sleep out overnight, returning home the next day.

A half dozen families would get together for a butcher bee in the cold days of late fall.  Cows were slaughtered first, then pigs, mutton, and finally chickens.  Blood from some of the animals was collected in milk pails, kept warm on a stove to halt coagulation and salt added.  Then it was canned for later use in blood dumplings, sausage or pudding.  The hides were salted for later tanning; the feathers from the fowl were held for cleaning and used in pillows or mattresses.  The skinned quarters of the animals would be dipped into cold salt brine and hung to finish cooling out so they could be taken home safely for processing.  Nothing went to waste.

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The most feared occurrence in the area was fire.  If it got started, it wasn’t going out until it burned itself out.  People could and did loose everything.
The most used weapon was the .22 single shot Winchester with .22 shorts.  It was used to take the heads off pheasant, quail, rabbit and ducks.  If you held low, the low powered round didn’t tear up the meat.  The shooters, usually the kids, quickly learned sight picture and trigger control although they never heard those terms.  If you took five rounds of ammunition, you better bring back the ammunition or a critter for the pot for each round expended. It was also a lot quieter and less expensive [in those days] than the .22 Long Rifle cartridges.

If you are trying to maintain a low profile, the odor of freshly baked bread can be detected in excess of three miles on a calm day.  Especially by kids.
Twice a year the cabin was emptied of everything.  The walls, floors, and ceilings were scrubbed with lye soap and a bristle brush.  All the belongings were also cleaned before they came back into the house.  This was pest control and it was needed until DDT became available.  Bedbugs, lice, ticks and other creepy crawlies were a fact of life and were controlled by brute force.  Failure to do so left you in misery and maybe ill.

Foods were stored in bug proof containers.  The most popular was fifteen pound metal coffee cans with tight lids.  These were for day to day use in the kitchen.  (I still have one. It’s a family heirloom.)  The next were barrels to hold the bulk foods like flour, sugar, corn meal, and rice.  Everything was sealed or the vermin would get to it.  There was always at least one, preferably two, months of food on hand.  If the fall cash allowed, they would stock up for the entire winter before the first snowfall.

The closest thing to a cooler was a metal box in the kitchen floor.  It had a very tight lid and was used to store milk, eggs and butter for a day or two. Butter was heavily salted on the outside to keep it from going rancid or melting.  Buttermilk, cottage cheese and regular cheese was made from raw milk after collecting for a day or two.  The box was relatively cool in the summer and did not freeze in the winter.

Mice and rats love humanity because we keep our environment warm and tend to be sloppy with food they like.  Snakes love rats and mice so they were always around.  If the kids were going to play outside, they would police the area with a hoe and a shovel.  After killing and disposing of the rattlesnakes- there was always at least one-then they could play for a while in reasonable safety.

The mice and rats were controlled by traps, rocks from sling shots, cats and coyotes.  The cats had a hard and usually short life because of the coyotes.  The coyotes were barely controlled and seemed to be able to smell firearms at a distance.  There were people who hunted the never-ending numbers for the bounty.

After chores were done, kid’s active imagination was used in their play.  They didn’t have a lot of toys.  There were a couple of dolls for the girls, a pocket knife and some marbles for the boy, and a whole lot of empty to fill.  Their father’s beef calves were pretty gentle by the time they were sold at market – the kids rode them regularly.  (Not a much fat on those calves but a lot of muscle.)  They would look for arrow heads, lizards, and wild flowers.  Chokecherry, buffalo berry, gooseberry and currants were picked for jelly and syrups.  Sometimes the kids made chokecherry wine.

On a hot summer day in the afternoon, the shade on the east side of the house was treasured and the east wind, if it came, even more so.
Adults hated hailstorms because of the destruction, kids loved them because they could collect the hail and make ice cream.
Childbirth was usually handled at a neighbor’s house with a midwife if you were lucky.  If you got sick you were treated with ginger tea, honey, chicken soup or sulphur and molasses.  Castor oil was used regularly as well.  Wounds were cleaned with soap and disinfected with whisky.  Mustard based poultices were often used for a variety of ills.  Turpentine, mustard and lard was one that was applied to the chest for pneumonia or a hacking cough.

Contact with the outside world was an occasional trip to town for supplies using a wagon and team.  A battery operated radio was used very sparingly in the evenings.  A rechargeable car battery was used for power.  School was a six mile walk one way and you brought your own lunch.  One school teacher regularly put potatoes on the stove to bake and shared them with the kids.  She was very well thought of by the kids and the parents.

These people were used to a limited amount of social interaction.  They were used to no television, radio, or outside entertainment. They were used to having only three or four books.  A fiddler or guitar player for a picnic or a dance was a wonderful thing to be enjoyed.  Church was a social occasion as well as religious.
The church ladies and their butter and egg money allowed most rural churches to be built and to prosper.  The men were required to do the heavy work but the ladies made it come together.  The civilizing of the west sprang from these roots.  Some of those ladies had spines of steel.  They needed it.

That’s a partial story of the homestead years.  People were very independent, stubborn and strong but still needed the community and access to the technology of the outside world for salt, sugar, flour, spices, chicken feed, cloth, kerosene for the lights and of course, coffee. There are many more things I could list.  Could they have found an alternative if something was unavailable?  Maybe.  How would you get salt or nitrates in Montana without importing?  Does anyone know how to make kerosene?  Coffee would be valued like gold.  Roasted grain or chicory just didn’t cut it.

I don’t want to discourage people trying to prepare but rather to point out that generalized and practical knowledge along with a cooperative community is still needed for long term survival. Whatever shortcomings you may have, if you are part of a community, it is much more likely to be covered.  The described community in this article was at least twenty to thirty miles across and included many farms and ranches as well as the town.  Who your neighbors are, what type of people they are, and your relationship to them is one of the more important things to consider.

Were there fights, disagreements and other unpleasantness?  Absolutely.  Some of it was handled by neighbors, a minister or the sheriff.  Some bad feelings lasted a lifetime.  There were some people that were really bad by any standard and they were either the sheriff’s problem or they got sorted out by one of their prospective victims.
These homesteaders had a rough life but they felt they had a great life and their way of life was shared by everyone they knew.  They never went hungry, had great daylong picnics with the neighbors, and knew everyone personally within twenty miles.  Every bit of pleasure or joy was treasured like a jewel since it was usually found in a sea of hard work.  They worked hard, played hard and loved well.  In our cushy life, we have many more “things” and “conveniences” than they ever did, but we lack the connection they had with their environment and community. 

The biggest concern for our future: What happens if an event such as a solar flare, EMP, or a plague takes our society farther back than the early 1900s by wiping out our technology base.  Consider the relatively bucolic scene just described and then add in some true post-apocalyptic hard cases.  Some of the science fiction stories suddenly get much more realistic and scary.  A comment out of a Star Trek scene comes to mind “In the fight between good and evil, good must be very, very good.”
Consider what kind of supplies might not be available at any cost just because there is no longer a manufacturing base or because there is no supply chain.  In the 1900s they had the railroads as a lifeline from the industrial east.
 
How long would it take us to rebuild the tools for recovery to the early 1900 levels?

One of the greatest advantages we have is access to a huge amount of information about our world, how things work and everything in our lives. We need to be smart enough to learn/understand as much as possible and store references for all the rest.  Some of us don’t sleep well at night as we are well aware of how fragile our society and technological infrastructure is.  Trying to live the homesteader’s life would be very painful for most of us.  I would prefer not to.  I hope and pray it doesn’t ever come to that.

The most shocking videos in the world! (Full video below)

The Great Depression of 1929 stands as one of the most significant economic crises in modern history, casting a long shadow over the global financial landscape. Sparked by a catastrophic stock market crash in October, this era of intense economic turmoil led to widespread unemployment, poverty, and social unrest. In the United States, millions lost their jobs, homes, and savings, forcing families to confront an uncertain and often dire future. This article delves into the factors that precipitated the Great Depression, its profound impact on American society, the government responses that shaped economic policy, and the global ramifications of this devastating crisis. By understanding these aspects, we can glean valuable lessons that inform current economic practices and prepare us for future economic challenges.

The Causes of the Great Depression

The Great Depression did not arise in a vacuum; it was the result of a confluence of several factors that had been brewing throughout the 1920s. To fully understand the causes of the Great Depression, it is essential to look at the economic environment of the 1920s, commonly referred to as the “Roaring Twenties.” This period was marked by significant economic growth, technological advances, and an unprecedented rise in consumer culture. However, this prosperity was built on shaky foundations, and cracks were starting to appear.

One of the primary catalysts for the Great Depression was the rampant speculation in the stock market. During the late 1920s, an increasing number of Americans began investing in stocks, often borrowing money to purchase shares in hopes of quick profit. This speculative bubble was characterized by inflated stock prices that did not reflect the actual value of the companies. The euphoria surrounding stock investments created an unsustainable market driven by the belief that prices would continue to rise indefinitely. Unfortunately, this led to an inevitable collapse when the bubble burst in October 1929, resulting in a dramatic stock market crash that sent shockwaves throughout the economy.

Bank failures also played a crucial role in deepening the economic crisis. With the collapse of the stock market, many banks faced immense financial pressure as their clients rushed to withdraw their savings, fearing for their financial security. The banking system, which had become over-leveraged during the boom years, was unable to withstand the sudden surge of withdrawals. By 1933, approximately 9,000 banks had failed, wiping out billions in savings and further destabilizing the economy. The loss of confidence in the banking system exacerbated the financial crisis, leaving consumers with little access to credit and diminishing their ability to spend, which in turn led to decreased production and even more layoffs.

International trade issues also contributed to the economic downturn. In an attempt to protect American industries, the U.S. government enacted the Smoot-Hawley Tariff in 1930, which raised tariffs on hundreds of imported goods. Although the intention was to bolster the domestic economy, the result was a significant decrease in international trade. Other nations retaliated by imposing tariffs on American goods, leading to a cascading effect of reduced trade volumes and increased economic isolationism. The combination of these protective measures further deepened the global economic crisis, proving counterproductive to the very goals they sought to achieve.

Additionally, economic disparities and the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few created an unstable economic environment. While the upper echelons of society reaped the benefits of the booming economy, a significant portion of the population struggled to make ends meet. This disparity in wealth led to reduced consumer spending, which is a vital component for economic growth. Without a robust consumer base, businesses struggled to maintain production levels, leading to layoffs and further economic contraction.

In summary, the causes of the Great Depression were multifaceted and interconnected. The speculative practices of the stock market, bank failures, international trade barriers, and growing economic inequality all played significant roles in leading the world into one of its darkest economic periods. By examining these causes, we can draw lessons not only about financial prudence but also about the importance of a balanced economic system that supports all citizens, rather than a select few.

The Impact of the Great Depression on Society

The ramifications of the Great Depression extended far beyond economic collapse; they reshaped the social fabric of the United States. As unemployment soared, many families faced dire financial straits. By 1933, unemployment rates had skyrocketed to approximately 25%, leaving millions of Americans without jobs and many more struggling to survive on meager means. This widespread financial despair led to significant social challenges, including increased rates of homelessness, malnutrition, and mental health issues.

The plight of the unemployed was visible in cities and towns across the nation. Shantytowns, often referred to as “Hoovervilles” after President Herbert Hoover, sprang up as displaced families sought shelter in makeshift huts. These communities became symbols of the suffering and hardship endured during this era. Families often found themselves living in extreme poverty, with many children going hungry or forced to drop out of school to support their families. The loss of a stable home environment had long-lasting effects on the health and education of these children, many of whom would experience generational poverty as a result.

Furthermore, the Great Depression had a profound effect on the American psyche. The sense of insecurity and hopelessness permeated society, as people grappled with the loss of their dreams and aspirations. The stress of financial instability contributed to a rise in mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. Families were torn apart by financial difficulties, with some individuals resorting to desperate measures, including theft or begging. The collective trauma experienced during this period would leave scars that echoed throughout psychological studies and societal dynamics in subsequent decades.

Social movements also began to emerge in response to the crises created by the Great Depression. Workers organized strikes and protests, demanding fair wages and better working conditions. Labor unions became more prominent as workers sought to protect their rights in an increasingly volatile job market. For many, invoking the power of collective bargaining became a means of survival. This surge in labor activism ultimately contributed to significant changes in labor laws and workers’ rights in the years that followed.

The Great Depression also prompted shifts in public attitudes toward government intervention in the economy. Prior to this period, many believed in a laissez-faire approach, where the government primarily took a hands-off stance regarding economic affairs. However, the scale of the crisis led many to advocate for a more active role for the government in providing support for those in need. This shift in public opinion laid the groundwork for future social safety nets and government programs that aimed to assist those facing economic hardship.

In conclusion, the impact of the Great Depression on society was profound and multifaceted. The economic collapse not only led to widespread unemployment and poverty but also altered the way individuals viewed work, government, and their place within society. The lessons learned during this tumultuous time continue to resonate today, emphasizing the importance of social safety nets, economic equality, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

The Government response to Great Depression and how policies changed

In the wake of the Great Depression, the U.S. government faced intense pressure to respond to the profound economic crisis that had gripped the nation. Under the leadership of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who took office in March 1933, the government implemented a series of sweeping reforms and policies collectively known as the New Deal. These initiatives aimed to provide immediate relief to the unemployed, to stimulate economic recovery, and to implement lasting reforms to prevent future economic collapses.

One of the cornerstone programs of the New Deal was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), established in 1933. This program aimed to provide jobs for young men while simultaneously addressing environmental conservation efforts. Participants in the CCC worked on projects ranging from reforestation to building parks and trails, enabling them to support their families while also contributing to national recovery efforts. By the time the program came to an end, millions of young men had benefited from the CCC, gaining work experience and developing skills that would serve them for a lifetime.

Another critical aspect of the New Deal was the creation of the Public Works Administration (PWA), which aimed to stimulate the economy by investing in large-scale public works projects. The PWA funded the construction of infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and bridges, creating jobs for thousands and laying the groundwork for future economic growth. These projects not only provided immediate employment but also contributed to long-term improvements in public services and infrastructure.

The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) was also established to provide financial assistance to states for direct relief programs. This initiative allowed states to distribute funds to those most in need, ensuring that the most vulnerable populations received support in a timely manner. FERA marked a significant shift in government policy toward direct intervention in alleviating poverty and provided a model for future entitlement programs.

In addition to these relief programs, the New Deal included regulatory reforms aimed at stabilizing the financial system. The Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 separated commercial banking from investment banking, creating a barrier to limit risky financial practices that had contributed to the economic collapse. The establishment of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sought to regulate the stock market and protect investors from fraudulent practices, restoring public confidence in the financial system.

Furthermore, the New Deal brought about reforms in labor rights with the passage of the National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act) in 1935. This legislation guaranteed the rights of workers to organize, join unions, and engage in collective bargaining. This marked a significant shift in labor relations, as it provided a legal framework for workers to negotiate better wages and working conditions. The act resulted in a surge of union membership and empowered workers in their fight for labor rights.

The New Deal also included social welfare programs, such as the Social Security Act of 1935, which established a social safety net for the elderly, unemployed, and disabled. By providing financial support to vulnerable populations, the Social Security Act marked a significant transformation in the government’s role in economic security, providing a foundation for the modern welfare state.

While the New Deal faced criticism from various quarters, including conservative politicians and those who argued it expanded government power too far, the overall response to the Great Depression reflected a paradigm shift in how the government perceived its role in the economy. The efforts initiated under the New Deal laid the foundation for a more interventionist government and contributed to the eventual recovery from the Great Depression.

In conclusion, the government’s response to the Great Depression through the New Deal was multifaceted and transformative. Through a series of innovative programs and policies, the government sought to address the immediate needs of a struggling population while implementing reforms to safeguard against future economic crises. The legacy of the New Deal continues to shape discussions around economic policy and the role of government intervention, highlighting the importance of adaptable responses in times of crisis.

Global consequences of the Great Depression and Responses

The Great Depression was not confined to the United States; its effects resonated around the globe, reshaping economies, societies, and international relations. As countries struggled with the fallout from the economic crisis, they faced unique challenges that often led to varying responses and policies.

In Europe, the Great Depression had a devastating impact on economies already teetering on the brink following the devastation of World War I. Nations like Germany, which were grappling with the reparations imposed by the Treaty of Versailles, experienced severe economic distress. Hyperinflation, massive unemployment, and social unrest became commonplace as economic instability eroded confidence in democratic governments. The dire economic circumstances contributed to the rise of extremist political movements, most notably the ascent of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Hitler’s regime leveraged the economic despair to promote its agenda, which included aggressive nationalism and expansionist policies.

In the United Kingdom, the depression catalyzed significant political and economic changes. While initially, the British government adopted a hands-off approach, the rising levels of unemployment and growing public discontent eventually compelled leaders to take action. The Labour Party, which gained power in the 1929 elections, aimed to address the crisis through public works programs and unemployment relief. However, the severity of the depression led to the eventual formation of a National Government coalition in 1931, prioritizing economic recovery over socialist reforms and implementing austerity measures that included cuts to public spending.

Countries in Latin America experienced backlash as well, particularly in relation to global trade patterns. Many nations were heavily reliant on exports of agricultural products, which suffered from the drop in demand during the depression. This economic hardship led to political instability, with some countries experiencing military coups as leaders exploited the social and economic unrest. For example, in Brazil, Getúlio Vargas rose to power in 1930 amid the tumult and initiated sweeping reforms to promote industrialization, which were partially in response to the weaknesses exposed by the Great Depression.

In response to the economic calamity, some nations adopted increasingly protectionist policies, including high tariffs and import quotas. This drive for economic self-sufficiency often stifled international cooperation and trade, leading to an era of economic isolationism. Protectionism, exemplified by the Smoot-Hawley Tariff in the United States, not only exacerbated domestic economic problems but also fueled tensions between nations as retaliatory measures took hold.

While the depression compelled some nations to pursue isolationist policies, it also drove others to collaborate on economic recovery efforts. The establishment of agreements like the London Economic Conference in 1933 reflected the recognition of the need for coordinated international action to combat the crisis. Unfortunately, the conference failed to produce meaningful results as countries prioritized their national interests over global cooperation.

The global consequences of the Great Depression also led to significant shifts in economic thought. Many countries began to explore Keynesian economic principles, which advocated for increased government intervention to stimulate demand during economic downturns. John Maynard Keynes, an influential economist, argued that governments should increase spending during periods of recession to boost consumption and promote recovery, contradicting prevailing economic philosophies that emphasized balanced budgets and limited government involvement.

In summary, the Great Depression reverberated across the globe, resulting in significant economic, political, and social fallout. While some nations descended into turmoil, others sought to rebuild and adapt in response to the crisis. The diverse responses to the Great Depression underscored the interconnectedness of the world economy and highlighted the importance of international cooperation in addressing complex challenges’ a lesson that continues to resonate in current global economic discussions.

The Lasting Lessons for nations and economies

The Great Depression left an indelible mark on economic policy and societal norms, shaping the way governments and institutions approach economic challenges to this day. Several lessons can be gleaned from this tumultuous period, providing valuable insights for contemporary policymakers and economists.

One of the most critical lessons is the importance of timely and effective government intervention in times of economic crisis. The initial laissez-faire approach taken during the early stages of the Great Depression led to a catastrophic decline in economic conditions and widespread suffering. The eventual recognition of the need for government action’s exemplified by the New Deal‘s demonstrated that proactive measures could mitigate the consequences of an economic downturn and support recovery efforts. Today, many governments recognize the necessity of employing fiscal and monetary policies to stimulate the economy during recessions, showing the enduring influence of lessons learned from the Great Depression.

Another vital takeaway is the need for strong regulatory frameworks to maintain financial stability. The lack of oversight in the financial sector contributed significantly to the events leading up to the Great Depression, resulting in risky practices and rampant speculation. In the aftermath, reforms such as the Glass-Steagall Act and the establishment of regulatory bodies like the SEC were implemented to stabilize the financial system. Modern economies continue to grapple with the balance between regulation and free-market principles, underscoring the importance of a robust regulatory framework to safeguard against financial crises.

The Great Depression also highlighted the dangers of economic inequality. The concentration of wealth in the hands of a few individuals contributed to volatility and limited the purchasing power of the broader population. Economists and policymakers today increasingly recognize that equitable economic growth benefits society as a whole and contributes to overall stability. Ensuring that wealth is distributed more evenly can create a more resilient economy, capable of withstanding fluctuations and crises.

Furthermore, the importance of social safety nets became apparent during the Great Depression. As millions suffered from unemployment and poverty, the need for government-supported programs to assist vulnerable populations became clear. Modern social safety nets, such as unemployment insurance and food assistance programs, are grounded in the lessons learned from this historical event. These programs are critical to providing a measure of economic security and stability in times of hardship, ensuring that individuals and families are not left to navigate crises alone.

Lastly, the Great Depression emphasized the interconnectedness of global economies. The ripple effects of the economic collapse demonstrated that no nation operates in isolation. Today’s policymakers must consider the impact of global trade, investment, and economic policies, understanding that collaboration and dialogue across nations are necessary to prevent similar crises from arising. Organizations like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have emerged in part to facilitate international cooperation and provide support to countries facing economic challenges.

In conclusion, the lasting lessons of the Great Depression continue to shape economic thought and policy today. The undeniable impact of government intervention, the necessity of regulatory frameworks, the importance of addressing economic inequality, the need for social safety nets, and the recognition of global interconnectedness are all crucial insights drawn from this period of crisis. As economies face new challenges in the 21st century, these lessons remain relevant, guiding policymakers to foster resilience and stability in the face of economic uncertainty.

Conclusion

The Great Depression of 1929 serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of economic systems and the profound impact of financial crises on society. The confluence of factors that led to this catastrophic event, including stock market speculation, bank failures, and economic inequality, created a perfect storm that devastated millions of lives. The social, economic, and political repercussions of the Great Depression reshaped the American landscape, paving the way for government intervention and regulatory reforms that continue to influence economic policy today.

From the establishment of the New Deal programs to the global responses that shape modern economic thought, the lessons learned during the Great Depression are invaluable. The importance of timely governmental intervention, the need for robust regulatory frameworks, the significance of addressing economic inequality, and the necessity of social safety nets cannot be overstated. Furthermore, the crisis highlighted the interconnectedness of the global economy, underscoring the importance of collaboration and communication among nations.

As we navigate the complexities of today’s economic landscape, drawing on the experiences of the past can inform our approach to future crises. The resilience of societies in the face of adversity, coupled with the commitment to enacting meaningful reforms, can contribute to a more stable and equitable economic environment. The Great Depression reminds us that while economic challenges may arise, our responses can lay the groundwork for a more sustainable future for generations to come.

For more about the Great Depression check also our article The Great Depression of 1929: A Global Economic Catastrophe (2025 update) or watch the video below.