Unit 2 Lesson 4: The Dust Bowl Flashcards
You might think that rural Americans suffered less than city dwellers in the Great Depression because they were at least able to grow their own food, but this was not the case. ? and their families suffered more than any group other than African Americans during the Depression.
Farmers, ranchers, and their families suffered more than any group other than African Americans during the Depression.
What was it like for farmers during WWI
From the turn of the century through much of World War I, farmers in the Great Plains enjoyed growing prosperity. This was due to unusually good growing conditions, high prices for their crops, and generous government farming policies that led to a rush for land.
But as the federal government purchased their excess produce for the war effort during World War I, farmers and ranchers fell into several bad practices. Elaborate
Many mortgaged their farms and borrowed money against profits expected from future production in order to buy more land and equipment to grow more crops. Then the war ended, and the government no longer needed excess crops.
Farm income dwindled rapidly, particularly during the postwar recession of 1921. What did farmers do it response
Instead of cutting back on production, though, farmers thought they could recover their losses through economies of scale. They expanded production even further to take advantage of their available land and machinery, but agricultural prices continued to drop.
In their effort to expand production, farmers had plowed under native grasses to plant acre after acre of wheat. What did this lead to
the dust bowl
Farm income plummeted in 1929, give an example
Farm income plummeted in 1929, when the price of wheat dropped from two dollars to 40 cents per bushel.
When the dust bowl happen
Then drought struck in 1931, and it lasted for eight terrible years.
What was the Dust bowl like
Dust storms roiled through the Great Plains, creating huge, choking clouds of sand and silt that piled up in doorways and filtered into homes, even through closed windows.
What created the dust bowl
Widespread overproduction and overuse of the land, as well as the harsh weather conditions that followed, created the Dust Bowl.
As the dust storms became more frequent and terrifying, people began calling them
“black blizzards”
Why were some dust stroms called black blzzards?
people began calling them “black blizzards” because the clouds of dust were so thick and dark they blocked out the sun
What new illness did dust stroms cause
These storms even created a new illness known as “dust pneumonia.”
In 1935 alone how much topsoil blew away?
In 1935 alone, more than 850 million tons of topsoil blew away.
To put this number in perspective, geologists estimate that it takes Earth 500 years to regenerate one inch of topsoil naturally, yet just one significant dust storm could destroy a similar amount.
In their desperation to grow more crops, farmers had stripped the land of the delicate balance that kept the soil healthy. What was the result of the action
Unaware of the consequences, they had moved away from such traditional practices as crop rotation and allowing land to regain its strength by letting the fields lie fallow between plantings. They had worked the land to death. As a result, crops intended to feed the family withered and died in the drought. Since there was no money or grain to provide feed, livestock had to be sold or face death.
How were black blizzards worse than typical dust storms?
They were much stronger and more destructive. The dust covered crops, destroyed homes, killed livestock, and got into people’s lungs. Black blizzards destroyed the livelihood of thousands of small farmers.
