The Dust BowlThe Dust Bowl

By: Ron WilsonBy: Ron Wilson

Period 3Period 3

How It HappenedHow It Happened

The Dust Bowl was said to be caused by deep The Dust Bowl was said to be caused by deep plowing of the Virginian topsoil, and when plowing of the Virginian topsoil, and when farmers did not use crop rotation it killed the farmers did not use crop rotation it killed the topsoil and it turned into sand.topsoil and it turned into sand.

Where did it happen?Where did it happen?

The Dust Bowl happened mainly on the pan-The Dust Bowl happened mainly on the pan-handles of Texas and Oklahoma, and it affected handles of Texas and Oklahoma, and it affected 100,000,000 acres of land in that area alone. 100,000,000 acres of land in that area alone. Some dust storms stretched all the way to New Some dust storms stretched all the way to New York and Washington D.C. York and Washington D.C.

During the Dust Bowl the sandy topsoil started to During the Dust Bowl the sandy topsoil started to blow around in huge dust storms nicknamed blow around in huge dust storms nicknamed Black Blizzards. Most storms knocked down Black Blizzards. Most storms knocked down telephone lines and covered the streets deep in telephone lines and covered the streets deep in sand.sand.

Storms got so bad that farmers had to dig up 2-3 Storms got so bad that farmers had to dig up 2-3 feet of sand just to repair fallen or broken fence feet of sand just to repair fallen or broken fence posts after storms, and this caused many posts after storms, and this caused many farmers to move and settle in California.farmers to move and settle in California.

Most farmers from the Dust Bowl came to Most farmers from the Dust Bowl came to California in search of shelter and jobs. The California in search of shelter and jobs. The majority of farmers and other settlers were from majority of farmers and other settlers were from Oklahoma thus the nick-name “Okies”Oklahoma thus the nick-name “Okies”

The farmers that remained in there houses The farmers that remained in there houses during the Dust Bowl became poorer and usually during the Dust Bowl became poorer and usually lost or had to repair there houses after every lost or had to repair there houses after every sandstorms. sandstorms.

Most houses that were left behind by families Most houses that were left behind by families were buried in sand and dust and had to be were buried in sand and dust and had to be uncovered. Those whose house were still there uncovered. Those whose house were still there were lucky, for more then 500,000 people lost were lucky, for more then 500,000 people lost there homes.there homes.

Some of the people who stayed during the Dust Some of the people who stayed during the Dust Bowl fell ill and died of Dust-pneumonia and Bowl fell ill and died of Dust-pneumonia and malnutrition.malnutrition.

The Dust Storms kept getting worse and worse The Dust Storms kept getting worse and worse until president Roosevelt stepped in and made a until president Roosevelt stepped in and made a plan to stop the dust storms from happening.plan to stop the dust storms from happening.

The President ordered for a wall of trees from The President ordered for a wall of trees from Canada to Texas to stop the dust storms and to Canada to Texas to stop the dust storms and to repair and hold the soil together.repair and hold the soil together.

ConclusionConclusion

In Conclusion I fell that the Dust Bowl was In Conclusion I fell that the Dust Bowl was a horrible turn of nature in the history of a horrible turn of nature in the history of the United States especially during the the United States especially during the Great Depression, and I think the farmers Great Depression, and I think the farmers could have stopped the hole thing from could have stopped the hole thing from happening, but they didn’t and so I the happening, but they didn’t and so I the Dust Bowl started. Dust Bowl started.

BibliographyBibliography

"Dust Bowl -." "Dust Bowl -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 27 May . 27 May 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_Bowl>. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_Bowl>. "Dust bowl -." "Dust bowl -." Google Image SearchGoogle Image Search. 02 June 2009 . 02 June 2009 <http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Dust<http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Dust%20bowl&safe=active&um=1&ie=UTF-%20bowl&safe=active&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi>. 8&sa=N&tab=wi>. "The Dust Bowl." "The Dust Bowl." Welcome to The University of South Welcome to The University of South DakotaDakota. 02 June 2009 . 02 June 2009 <http://www.usd.edu/anth/epa/dust.html>.<http://www.usd.edu/anth/epa/dust.html>. "About The Dust Bowl." "About The Dust Bowl." Welcome to English « Welcome to English « Department of English, College of LAS, University of Department of English, College of LAS, University of IllinoisIllinois. 02 June 2009 . 02 June 2009 <http://www.english.illinois.edu/Maps/depression/dustbo<http://www.english.illinois.edu/Maps/depression/dustbowl.htm>. wl.htm>.

BibliographyBibliography

"The Dust Bowl of the 1930s." "The Dust Bowl of the 1930s." The The Wessels Living History Farm, the Story of Wessels Living History Farm, the Story of Agricultural InnovationAgricultural Innovation. 02 June 2009 . 02 June 2009 <http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farmingin<http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/water_02.html>.the30s/water_02.html>. "Dust Bowl Photographs." "Dust Bowl Photographs." USDA-ARS-USDA-ARS-WERUWERU. 02 June 2009 . 02 June 2009 <http://www.weru.ksu.edu/new_weru/multi<http://www.weru.ksu.edu/new_weru/multimedia/dustbowl/dustbowlpics.html>. media/dustbowl/dustbowlpics.html>.