United States Dust Bowl

The Dust Bowl was a severe environmental disaster during the 1930s, primarily affecting the Great Plains of the United States. Intense drought combined with extensive, deep plowing of native grasses for farmland reduced the land’s natural stability. Strong winds then eroded the exposed topsoil, creating massive dust storms that devastated crops, emptied farms, and displaced thousands of families, often referred to as “Okies.” The crisis worsened economic hardship during the Great Depression and prompted changes in agricultural practices to prevent future soil erosion.