The Dust Bowl

The Dust Bowl was a very hard time in America during the 1930s. Huge dust storms swept across the middle of the country. The storms covered farms, houses, and towns with thick dust. Many families lost their farms and had to move. It happened during the Great Depression, when life was already tough.

Why It Happened

For many years, farmers had plowed up the prairies to grow wheat. The old grass had held the soil in place. When a big drought came, the crops died and the land dried up. Strong winds picked up the dry dirt and made giant dust clouds. Some storms turned the sky black in the middle of the day.

Hard Times for Families

Many families could not grow food or pay for their homes. They packed their things and drove west looking for work. Many went to California hoping to find jobs. Later, the government taught farmers new ways to protect the soil. Rain finally returned, and the land slowly healed.

Fun Facts

• One huge dust storm in 1935 was called 'Black Sunday'.
• Dust from the storms sometimes blew all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.
• A famous book called 'The Grapes of Wrath' was written about this time.

Did You Know?

The Dust Bowl mostly affected parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico on the Great Plains.