1. AKA “The Dirty Thirties”
1930s Dust Bowl
AKA “The Dirty Thirties”

2. Pre-1930’s Farming Demand rose for wheat during WWI
drove the prices for wheat crops to an all time high
At the end of the war, prices began to fall
Farmers had to cultivate more land to compensate for falling prices (possible due to new technology)
Larger supply of wheat on the market drove prices even lower

3. “Sodbusters”
Sod: thick grasses with deep roots that protected the prairie from wind and rain erosion
Sodbusters broke the sod up for farming purposes
As a result, wind and soil erosion began to occur on the prairie

4. 1930’s Weather Harsh blizzards winter 1930-1931 Below average rain
Severe drought
1934, 1935, and 1936 record years for drought

5. Erosion
Top soil, now lacking sod to protect it from wind and rain, blew across the prairie.
Blowing sand made breathing difficult.

6. “Black Blizzards”
Dust rose in enormous black clouds, and became known as black blizzards

7. Lyrics from a Woody Guthrie song declared, “The storm was as black as tar and as big as an ocean. It looked like we was all done for.”

9. Video Clips

10. The Aftermath… How would you describe the scenes in these pictures?
What would you do if this was your farm?

11. Top soil disintegrated to dust and drifted
Top soil disintegrated to dust and drifted. Farms and homes became worthless.

12. People left in droves, looking for food and work elsewhere
Mass Exodus
People left in droves, looking for food and work elsewhere
Many headed west working as migrant farm workers

13. Temporary Migrant Camps

14. Dorothea Lange, Photographer
Master Photographer from this time period
Your task: analyze a sampling of Dorothea Lange’s photography

15. Assignment What did farmers learn from the dust bowl?
What changes did they implement to reverse the damage from the dust bowl?
Could a Dust Bowl happen again? Why or why not?
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