[ 7.3 ] The Dust Bowl

[ 7.3 ] The Dust Bowl

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the natural and human causes of the Dust Bowl.• Describe the ways in which the Dust Bowl affected Texans.

[ 7.3 ] The Dust Bowl

Key Terms

• Dust Bowl• erosion• boom-and-bust cycle• decline• foreclosures• occurred• tenant farmers

Causes of the Dust Bowl

The Great Depression caused many hardships for Texans. The depression, however, was not the only crisis to strike the state. In the 1930s, a series of great dust storms tore through the southern plains. These storms blew away the topsoil, filled the skies with dust, and made breathing difficult. Some storms were “sand blows,” in which high winds blew sandier topsoil into drifts along fences, walls, and buildings. Other storms were “black blizzards,” sudden and violent storms filling the sky with a wall of dirt up to 7,000–8,000 feet high. This series of dust storms created an environmental disaster and a geographic region known as the Dust Bowl.

Causes of the Dust Bowl

• Physical Factors• Human Causes

Causes of the Dust Bowl

Analyze Maps What geographic factors likely made the Dust Bowl so widespread?

Causes of the Dust Bowl

Drought and high winds along with the dry climate of northwestern Texas caused heavy soil erosion on farms like this one in Dallam County.

Causes of the Dust Bowl

Analyze Visuals Based on the information in the graphic organizer, which of the causes of the Dust Bowl were created by humans and which were the result of environmental causes?

Impact of the Dust Bowl

Many of the dust storms were mild “sand blows.” These left dunes of sandy dirt in ditches and along fencerows. The worst storms, called “black blizzards,” were much larger and could reduce visibility to zero. Anyone caught in one of these large dust storms was in for a frightful experience. A single storm could last for more than three days. Sometimes thunder and lightning came with the storms. Other times the only sound was the blowing wind as dirt swirled in every direction.

Impact of the Dust Bowl

• “Black Sunday”• Destruction• Social Impact of the Dust Bowl• Political Action

Impact of the Dust Bowl

Dust storms, like this 1935 storm, caused great damage to farms, crops, and machinery.

Quiz: Causes of the Dust Bowl

The Dust Bowl was the result of both hot, dry conditions and

A. high winds.B. a tropical climate.C. severe thunderstorms.D. hurricanes.

Quiz: Impact of the Dust Bowl

On which of the following groups did the Dust Bowl likely have the most severe economic impact?

A. factory workersB. farmersC. oil workersD. fishermen