Causes of the Dust Bowl

Question 1

What were the main causes of the Dust Bowl

Answer 1

People - Over cropping, overgrazing, drought, power farming, and mistaken public policies

Question 2

How did “power farming” contribute to the Dust Bowl

Answer 2

Advanced machinery like tractors and combines disrupted the natural balance, overworked the land, and destroyed soil stability

Question 3

What role did the wind play in the Dust Bowl

Answer 3

Strong winds uprooted plants, blew away topsoil, and stripped away the hard subsoil, leaving the land barren

Question 4

How did over cropping and overgrazing lead to the Dust Bowl

Answer 4

They depleted the land’s nutrients, stripped vegetation that protected the soil, and made the soil more vulnerable to erosion

Question 5

Why were farmers unable to prevent the Dust Bowl once it began

Answer 5

Without proper conservation methods, the soil became too loose, and strong winds made it impossible to save crops or stop erosion

Question 6

What were the long-term effects of mistaken public policies on the Plains

Answer 6

Policies encouraged unsustainable farming practices, leading to soil degradation and making the region more vulnerable to drought and erosion

Question 7

What role did drought play in the Dust Bowl

Answer 7

Drought killed soil-holding vegetation, leaving the soil dry and more prone to being eroded by wind