Dust Bowl

The Dust Bowl happened in the bread basket states (mostly Oklahoma) during the Great Depression. It was caused by excessive farming accompanied by a drought. It earned the title Dust Bowl because without moisture to keep the soil in its place, the once fertile terrain shriveled up and dried out so much so that it turned into dust; without trees and other land formations to cut the wind, the dust was whipped around everywhere. When one went outside the mouth had to be covered because if one breathed, one would be inhaling more dust than air. In fact, many people died from diseases caused by the build up of dust in their lungs. The drought did not just directly affect the land, but the people as well. People could not maintain good health and hygiene; there was no water to bathe in or to stay hydrated, and families could not rely on their crops to sustain themselves as they had before. The Dust Bowl made the Great Depression even harder for those living in the Oklahoma area, business was bad as it was, but without water and good land to grow their crops there was no business. Consequently families were forced to find other work wherever they could, working in bad conditions for less than a reasonable wage. The Dust Bowl was a very unfortunate event, and was another contribution to the already devastating Great Depression.