The Dust Bowl “ The Dirty Thirties” Activity on the last slide accompanied by pages 66-69 in iThink U.S. History the 1920s and 30s

What were the causes of the Dust Bowl? Severe drought (no rain) Overgrazing by cattle Over plowing by farmers High winds All these conditions destroyed the grasses that held the soil in place These storms were called “Black Blizzards” Parts of the Great Plains became known as the Dust Bowl

Where was the Dust Bowl?

Many farmers who stayed on their land switched to raising cattle Many farmers who stayed on their land switched to raising cattle. That met with, at best, limited success since the animals required large amounts of range land for feed.

Wheat production continued to decline.

Who did the drought hit the hardest? Migrant workers Poor farmers from Oklahoma and Arkansas headed west to escape the Dust Bowl So many came from Oklahoma people began calling the migrants “Oakies” Many moved to the west coast to find jobs on farms They were not welcomed by locals Locals feared that the migrants would take local jobs Migrant workers lived in poor conditions (tents, no water or electricity)

unprecedented dirt storms. Day after day, Dust Bowl “During 1936, the number of dirt storms increased and the temperature broke the 1934 record high by soaring above 120 degrees in parts of Kansas. 1937 was another year of unprecedented dirt storms. Day after day, Dust Bowl farmers unwillingly traded farms as the land moved back and forth between Texas and Kansas. 1938 was the year of the "snuster". The snuster was a mixture of dirt and snow Reaching blizzard proportions.” http://www.ccccok.org/museum/dustbowl.html

“The blowing dirt made daily routines burdensome and depressing “The blowing dirt made daily routines burdensome and depressing. Whether one was trying to keep house, run a small business, go to school, or go to church, the impact of The dust was serious.” “Everything that had a surface became dusty. Clothes hanging on the line to dry ended up stiff with dirt. Families went to sleep on clean sheets and pillowcases and awoke to find everything dirty but the spots where they had lain.”

Many chose to leave, abandoning their homes and history to seek a new life in California and other west coast states, lured by the opportunity for work.

Many of the migrants struggled to reach their destinations and met obstacles along the way. The experiences of these “Okies” and “Arkies” became the basis for John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath.

A return of more abundant rainfall beginning in 1938 and a focus on the nation’s needs during World War II helped bring the region out of its crisis. “The Dust Bowl taught farmers new farming methods and techniques. The 1930's fostered a whole new era of soil conservation. Perhaps the most valuable lesson learned form the Dust Bowl - take care of the land.” http://www.ccccok.org/museum/dustbowl.html http://www.newint.org/issue378/earth.htm

The Soil Conservation Service (SCS)—now The Natural Resources Conservation Service began to stress soil conservation measures. Through their efforts, the first soil conservation districts came into being, and demonstration projects were carried out to show the benefits of practices such as terracing, contour plowing, conservation tillage and the reintroduction of windbreaks. http://drought.unl.edu/whatis/dustbowl.htm#coping

Dust Bowl Stories from Around the Room Move around the room reading various stories from the Dust Bowl As you are reading the stories answer the following questions on the back of your warm-up Who (was affect by the Dust Bowl and how) What (was the Dust Bowl and what problems did it cause) When (did the Dust Bowl occur) Where (was the Dust Bowl) Why (did the Dust Bowl occur) How (did the Dust Bowl impact the nation)