Dust BowlDust Bowl

PowerPoint Presentation by S. Winslow

http://students.sunysuffolk.edu/~nicoj00/index1.html

The Dust BowlThe Dust BowlDuring the Great Depression of the 1930's, the mid-west experienced a climatic event that turned it into what became known as The Dust Bowl. This climatic event lasted for ten years and caused tremendous economic hardship. It also forced thousands of people to leave their homes. During the 1930's, the record high heat, lack of precipitation and the constant winds all combined to create a situation that enabled the Dust Bowl to occur.

http://students.sunysuffolk.edu/~nicoj00/index1.html

DroughtDroughtOriginally covered with grasses that held the fine soil in place, the land of the southern plains was plowed by settlers who brought their farming techniques with them when they homesteaded the area. Wheat crops, in high demand during World War I, exhausted the topsoil. Overgrazing by cattle and sheep herds stripped the western plains of their cover. When the drought hit, the land just blew away in the wind.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dustbowl/peopleevents/pandeAMEX06.html

http://students.sunysuffolk.edu/~nicoj00/index2.html

Dust BowlDust Bowl

Affected parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado

Dust piled up in drifts against houses/barns Livelihood of hundreds of thousands of small

farmers destroyed Many migrated to California in search of work

Black SundayBlack Sunday

http://www.ptsi.net/user/museum/dustbowl.html

Sunday, April 14, 1935

The sky became blackened and many thought the world was coming to an end.

Dust Storm approaching Lubbock, TXDust Storm approaching Lubbock, TX

http://www.humanities-interactive.org/texas/dustbowl/

Protection from the StormProtection from the Storm

Seal all windows and doors Hand wet blankets, sheets, towels Sleep with a wet handkerchief or wash cloth

over nose and mouth Stay inside

Dirt EverywhereDirt Everywhere

Dirt impossible to keep outside Piles of dirt sweep from inside home Farm Machinery / Vehicles stopped working Dust pneumonia (people and animals)

http://users.rcn.com/gregjonz/dust/dustbowl.htmlhttp://users.rcn.com/gregjonz/dust/dustbowl.html

Aftermath of a Dust Storm

Dust piled up around farmhouse. Oklahoma.Dust piled up around farmhouse. Oklahoma.

Farm for sale Jefferson County, KSFarm for sale Jefferson County, KS

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/f?fsa:80:./temp/~ammem_kb1r:

Results of a dust storm. Cimarron County, Oklahoma.Results of a dust storm. Cimarron County, Oklahoma.

Large drifts of soil near Liberal, KSLarge drifts of soil near Liberal, KS

Abandoned farm Ottawa County, KSAbandoned farm Ottawa County, KS

Farm near Dalhart, TexasFarm near Dalhart, Texas

Abandoned farm in the dust bowl area. OklahomaAbandoned farm in the dust bowl area. Oklahoma

Movie of a Dust StormMovie of a Dust Storm

Oklahoma dust bowl refugees

San Fernando, California

Home of a dust bowl refugee in Imperial County, California.

Home of a dust bowl refugee in Imperial County, California.

Can It Happen Again?Can It Happen Again?

New Farming Techniques Seeding large areas in grass Soil conservation Three year rotation crops Terracing Planting wind breaks Irrigation

SourcesSourcesAmerican Memory Library of Congresshttp://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/querry/f?fsa:0:./temp/~ammem_JWIe

Cimarron Chamber of Commerce 1997 11/21/02Cimarron County Communitieshttp://www.ptsi.net/user/museum/dustbowl.html

PBS The American Experience/Surviving the Dust Bowlhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dustbowl/peopleevents/pandeAMEX06.html|

People and Environmental Change on the Northern Great Plains. 1 July 1996. Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.usd.edu/anth/epa/index.html

 

SourcesSources

 Suffolk County Community Collegehttp://students.sunysuffolk.edu/~nicoj00/index1.html map

 Suffolk County Community Collegehttp://students.sunysuffolk.edu/~nicoj00/index2.html http://users.rcn.com/gregjonz/dust/dustbowl.html

 Texas Council for the Humanities Resource Centerhttp://www.humanities-interactive.org/texas/dustbowl/