Pioneers That Travelled Across The Great Plains

Pioneers that Travelled across the Great Plains
Pioneers that travelled across the Great Plains would often run into trouble and suffer terrible deaths.
The Donner Party was one of those parties; however, the story connected to the name is much more
infamous than others. It is a story of suffering, betrayal, survival, and acts of necessity. Perhaps the
most interesting fact about these acts is that they were performed by everyday farmers, traders, and
businessmen. The reasons for these acts were, more than likely, out of the will to survive, but there
may a greater story behind such acts of "monstrosity."
People first started to travel (pioneer) to the "west" since the early 1800s. The reason to move varied
from family to family, many sought a new beginning from the economic depression in the late
1830s. Some wanted to escape political strife and religious persecution. Some moved to join family
members and seek adventure and new opportunities. The majority of emigrants had as their main
reason either land or gold. The most famously travelled trail is the Oregon Trail. This trail is the
nation's longest graveyard, killing nearly one tenth of all travelers (Utah State History, 2014). Many
wagon and hand cart groups took the rough 2,000 mile trail to go west; one of these groups was the
James Reed Party. It is more famously known as the Donner Party. A Common Goal
In April of 1846, a group of eight families in Illinois gathered together to find for a better life in the
west. A businessman by the name of James Reed sent out
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Texas Geography
The geography of Texas is hugely varied, from beaches to mountains. You can break Texas down
into four main regions, divided by rivers, escarpments and other natural features. Texas has all the
locations you might need: forests, cliffs, mountainous desert that could pass for Mars, NASA's
Johnson Space Center and even a coastline. The Lone Star state is often divided into four regions:
the Gulf Coastal Plains, the Interior Lowlands, also called the North Central Plains, the Great Plains
and the Basin and Range or Mountains and Basins region. Each region has unique landforms and
natural features. The first region of Texas is the Gulf Coastal Plains. The Gulf Coast stretches along
the Gulf of Mexico for hundreds of miles. Cities such as Corpus Christi, Galveston, and Houston are
in the Gulf Coast region. Near the gulf waters you can see marshes, barrier islands, estuaries, where
salty sea water and fresh river water meet, and bays. As you travel west, you can see prairies and
grasslands. The Gulf Coast is home to many ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The North Central Plains region is mostly rural grasslands and small towns with a few large cities.
Most of this prairie land is thick grasses. There is also a cross timbers area full of hardwood trees.
Farming is common here because of the fertile soil. So there are many kinds of crops grown in this
region. There also commonly short prairie grass. Climate in the region/area can be extreme. In the
winters its cold, but in the summer it can be the hottest area in Texas. The average rainfall is 20 – 30
inches a year and during the spring there can be violent storms and tornadoes. Landforms in the
Central Plains region of Texas is part of a larger Central Plains region of North America. It is made
up of 3 separate areas. They are the Grand Prairie, the Cross Timbers, and the Rolling Plains. Each
of these areas has a different type of landform, and they include prairies, forests, and

How Did Farmers Live In The Great Plains
In 1862 the Homestead Act was passed. The government was offering 160 acres in the plains, for
very little money. Many farmers in the east could not afford land to farm in their area so they took
the deal. This deal meant that if the farmers could successfully farm their land in the plains for 5
years, that farmer would own it. Many couldn't pass it up and moved their families to the Great
Plains area. They built homes and began their new lives. Some lives in wooden shack like houses
while others lived in what were called dugouts. These were literally homes dug into the land. Within
50 years approximately 300,000 people populated the Great Plains.
The Great Plains consisted of, but not all of Colorado , Kansas, Montana, Oklahoma, Nebraska,
New Mexico, South and North ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
That's equal to twelve Empire State buildings stacked on one another. The cloud of gritty dust
traveled east to major cities like Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Boston and Washington DC. Ships
more than 200 miles off the shore now carried a layer of dust. This storm measured at 1800 miles
wide. An instrument called a pyrheliometer, measured the sunlight coming through the dust cloud at
50 percent. That's half the UV rays of a normal spring day in the east. Finally people that seemed a
world away were seeing for themselves what they had only read about. They were living a day in the
Dust Bowl. People began to take notice.
To conclude, President Roosevelt appointed an agronomist, Hugh Hammond Bennett, to head what
became known as Operation Dust Bowl. In April1935, a dust storm came into Washington from the
plains. This happen just as Bennett was arriving in Washington to talk about the need for soil
conservation legislation. On that day Bennett said " gentleman this is what I have been talking
about." The Soil Conservation Act was passed by Congress that

The Great Plains: A Narrative Analysis
During the late nineteenth century agriculture drastically increased as a result of technological
innovations. Transportation led the way in enabling more and more Americans with the ability to
travel westward to farm and mine resources. Railroad systems also guaranteed the widespread
distribution of goods that were produced in the west at inexpensive prices, which allowed for such
big production rates on farms and exploitation of resources west (Nash 381). Technology also took
part in aiding the difficulties in the process of farming. The Great Plains were considered to be much
less desirable, which made the land there relatively cheaper than the land east. However, farming
westward tended to be expensive with the added cost of machinery.

DBQ Essay: What Caused The Dust Bowl
What Caused the Dust Bowl? The Dust Bowl was the period of time during the Great Depression in
the Southern Plains where colossal clouds and storms of dust and dirt swept through neighborhoods,
farms, and houses. It left everything covered in a thick layer of dirt and sand, even blinding those
temporarily whom had happened to be caught in the midst of one, plastering their lungs with all of
the air's contents. "Children died from breathing in the dust. They called it 'dust pneumonia,'"
(Background Essay). But, what caused these storms? The source of the Dust Bowl in the plains were
the lack of farming experience, the excessive farming America had done, and the drought. The first
cause of the Dust Bowl was the absence of agricultural exposure. ... Show more content on
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"John Wesley Powell, the great Western explorer, determined that twenty inches of rain annually
was the minimum for successful farming on the Plains," found by the High Plains Regional Climate
Center, University of Nebraska in the city of Lincoln (Document E). Although, typically, the
midwest did not receive twenty inches annually. Cities like Dalhart, Texas; Burlington, Colorado;
Clovis, New Mexico; and Boise City, Oklahoma, which were four cities found in the Dust Bowl
area, did not even obtain 18 inches on average per year (Document E). Also, from 1931 to 1940 in
Dallam County, Texas; the county only met the goal of 20 inches once (Document E). Most years,
the annual rainfall there did not reach fifteen inches (Document E). With this lack of rain, the dirt
will not settle into the ground, but lay on top as dry dirt and dust, which will also be then picked up
by the wind and cause dusters to

The Cause Of The Dust Bowl
Dusty Days
Sam Starr
Mrs. Terry Westling
English III
16 October 2017 Outline
Thesis: The Dust Bowl of the 1930s forever changed how Americans thought of and treated our
farm lands in the Great Plains.
Introduction
I. Causes of the Dust Bowl
A. The Drought in the Great Plains
B. Improper Tending of the Land
II. People Affected by the Dust Bowl
A. Lawrence Srobin, Aris D. Carlson, and John Steinbeck
B. Statistics of the Damage
C. Farmer's Problems Before the Dust Bowl
III. FDR's Fix for the Dust Bowl
A. Strategic Planting of Trees in the Great Plains
B. Free Education about Soil Treatment for Farmers
Conclusion
Dusty Days
When the dust settled, the farmers of the U.S. were heartbroken over the acreage ... Show more
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"Much of the Roaring '20s was a continual cycle of debt for the American farmer, stemming from
falling farm prices and the need to purchase expensive machinery." ("The Farming Problem").
Tractors had just graced the U.S. markets which boosted the production of goods greatly. Most
would think this was good, but it was more of a problem, the farmers would overproduce goods
without enough people to buy them all which made the goods almost worthless. The farmers had to
borrow money to pay for their tractors, assuming they would be able to pay back the debt with the
money that the tractor made, but when they found they could not it set them up having no money
and a debt with no way to pay it back. "When the stock market crashed in 1929 sending prices in an
even more downward cycle, many American farmers wondered if their hardscrabble lives would
ever improve." ("The Farming Problem"). The stock market crashing made the stocks the farmers
though they would be able to get some money from virtually worthless.

The Dust Bowl only made matters worse. "Between 1932 and 1940 it is estimated 2.5 million
people abandoned the plains for other regions of the country." (Woolner) California received the
majority of these migrants; roughly four hundred thousand. The Californians who were there before
the migrants were unhappy about them coming in and taking their jobs, often referring to them as
"Okies" (most of them came from Oklahoma). They were even prohibited from

Black Sunday's Impact On The Great Plains
Black Sunday had a big impact on the great plains, and everywhere. Black Sunday was the worse
Sunday in history. According to the story," Everyone hurried home trying despertely to beat the
overwhelming black blizzard before it struck." Alot of people got lost and perished from the black
cloud. There was one big problem, that caused,"Black Sunday." The problem was that the farm
people, pulled up all of the grass and all that was left was dirt. After there was just dirt left, a huge
drought came through the great plains. Then what was worst of all, was that the wind was so strong
it took up all of the top layer of soil, then one by one it went. According to the article," Less rain fell
throughout the Plains. The ground dried up, crumbiling

Native Americans: The Great Plains
What is the Great Plains? What existed there? Is grassland that ranges through the west–central
portion of the United States Distinct and highly advanced Native American ways of existence
occurred on the Great Plains In the east, it was close to the lower Missouri River and tribes such as
Osage and Iowa had more than a span, hunted and established crops and developed in small villages
In the farther west, travelling tribes like Sioux and Cheyenne collected wild foods and hunted
buffalo In the Plains, enduring by tribal rule, traded and made crafted tools and clothing What was
the reason that the Treaty of Fort Laramie was created? The Bozeman Trail ran straight through
Sioux hunting lands in the Bighorn Mountains and the Sioux chief ineffectively ... Show more
People who relocated to the wide–ranging, flat plains frequently made self–supporting houses by
piling chunks of prairie lawn It was like a dugout which made winter days warm, and cool in the
summer. They were small but presented little light or air Were shelters for snakes, insects, and other
pests Even though they were fireproof, they leaked when it was raining What was allowed in the
Morrill Act? Gave state land to the states to help economics farming colleges The federal
government reinforced farmers by supporting agricultural learning What were Bonanza farms? Huge
single–crop spreads of 15,000–50,000 acres Intricate equipment was costly and farmers had to
borrow money to purchase it and when prices for wheat increased, farmers usually recompense their
loans with the money they earned But when wheat prices decreased, farmers needed to increase
more produces to make ends meet The condition gave rise to a new sort of farming in the late 1870s
Summary: In this section, it talked about the people who were settling in the plains. The settlers
moved westward so that they can farm and earn money and the government supported the
settlement. It also talked about what the settlers had to do on their everyday lives and how they
lived. The farmers had to do what they had to do in order for them to make

Transcontinental Railroad Thesis
Around the 1840's, the western land was still fairy new to America with many Americans eager to
expand. Americans became extremely curious, wondering what lies in this forsaken land and
developed the proposal of manifest destiny. The term manifest destiny "was a brief way to express
support for American expansion and the annexation of western lands" (Mountjoy 12). Americans
were now longing for a path from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast and hoping to fulfill manifest
destiny. To achieve this "Asa Whitney proposes the construction of a transcontinental railroad"
(Streissguth 9). The transcontinental railroad was designed to "link Omaha, Nebraska with
Sacramento, California" (Stein 105). By creating the transcontinental railroad America would be
able to expand across the entire country and manifest destiny would be fulfilled. After a long
process "On May 10, 1869 the transcontinental railroad was complete" (Bain 9). Americans had
access across the entire United States and was able to complete manifest destiny. This
accomplishment was huge for America and provided happiness for an abundance of citizens.
However, this happiness was not achieved by everyone. Plains Indians were very agitated upon the
completion of the transcontinental railroad. The transcontinental railroad's "tracks ran through a
number of tribal territories, bringing into conflict cultures that held very different views of the land
and how it might be used and lived on" (Jawort). How were Plains Indians

The Dust Storm And Its Impact On The Area Of The Great Plains
Dust storm is an event happened in North America between 1930 and 1936, in some area lasted till
1940. Due to drought and agricultural expansion for several decades, the original North American
Great Plains topsoil depth reclamation destroyed the original fixed soil moisture storage of natural
grassland, and the absence of relevant measures to prevent soil erosion, the storm comes rolling
dust, so that ecological and agricultural prairie Canada and the United States has been a huge
influence.
Prior to 1870, the US Southern Plains region is a vibrant prairie world. Then, deep rooted weeds
cover the entire Great Plains, where the soil is fertile, animal all running around, a harmonious
coexistence between man and nature scenes. After 1870, the US government has enacted a number
of laws, encourage the development in the area of the Great Plains. Especially after the outbreak of
the World War 1, by the impact of soaring world wheat prices, the southern Great Plains into the
"big Reclamation" period, which farmers destroyed all grasslands, planted wheat. After decades of
development, from the Great Plains grasslands of the world to "American breadbasket." At the same
time, where natural vegetation has been severely damaged, topsoil exposed under the wind.
Into the 1930s, the United States experienced a severe drought a rare southern Great Plains days of
good weather completely ended, a catastrophe ensues. May 12, 1934, a huge black storm swept the
area among the eastern United

What Is The Impact Of Technology On The Great Plains Frontier
The Impact of Technology Emerging technologies affected lives of many people on the Great Plains
frontier, ones that were already living there, and others that would eventually migrate there.
Technology increased the Plains goods being produced, made life easier, and brought our country
closer together. Although there are some disagreements, I believe that commercialization and
technology was a benefit for most westerner in the late nineteenth century.
Before technological advancements were brought to the Great Plains frontier farmers would over
look the land, because it had a very little amount of trees and the ground was hard, and go towards
the Oregon area. But after the technology evolved, it made it possible to actually farm, and ... Show
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The herds of bison almost became desolate, the farmers were also plowing the natural gross for their
crops, and the cattle business became more important because the railroad could transport them
easier.
The lives of the native Americans that had already been living on the Great Plains frontier had been
affected drastically. Most people really only hear about battles like Custer's last stand, and
geronimo. What we don't read in our textbooks is how they were treated. They had been pushed out
of their land and were mostly confined to reservations, mostly areas that the white didn't feel were
very good. They also were given rations on the reservation, that Americans only had to do in hard
times such as war.
Emerging technologies affected lives of many people on the Great Plains frontier, But not only
theirs, but mine also. If we had not had little technology advancements we would not be where we
are at today. The technology in the late nineteenth century increased goods being produced, made
life more comfortable, and connected our country. The benefits of these things not only benefitted
them but evolved into better things now. I am grateful for the effect it has played on our nation and
and will continue to centuries to

The Ogallala: Preserving the Great American Desert Essay
Long ago, the middle of the North American continent was a treeless prairie covered by tall grasses
and roaming buffalo. When European settlers came, they called this area the Great American Desert.
Today, this "desert" is covered with fields of wheat, corn, and alfalfa made possible by
center–pivot irrigation. My grandfather used to sell center–pivot systems and when my family drove
to my grandparent's home in Nebraska, we would count how many "sprinklers" were
watering each section of land. At the time, I didn't know that this water was being pumped from
somethng called the Ogallala Aquifer, a huge underground water supply. Throughout the years, this
aquifer has made the Great American Desert one of the best farming ... Show more content on
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"If pumped out over the United States," Lexis writes, "the High Plains aquifer
would cover all 50 states with one and one–half feet of water."
The Nature and the Extent of the Problem
Each year, at least 7.8 trillion gallons of water are drawn up from the Ogalla Aquifer to irrigate the
crops planted on the High Plains. These cros are the main food sourrce for our entire country.
Tragically, irrigation is depleting the aquifer faster than it can replenish itself, and that is the
problem. In fact, only the tiniest fraction of the water is ever replaced in the Ogallala Aquifer. If the
water were ever fully depleted, the aquifer would need 6,000 years to refill naturally (Zwingle 83).
The only way the Ogalla can be replenished is by water seeping down through the layers of soil until
it reaches the aquifer. This water comes from the small amount of precipitation in the region, as well
as from streams, reservoirs, canals, and irrigation (McGuire and Sharpe).
How serious is the problem? Since 1930, the aquifer's water has been reduced by 11 percent
(Lewis). The volume of water has decreased because the use of irrigation has increased so much
since World War II. In 1949, 2.1 million acres were under irrigation. In 1969, the amount of
irrigation land rose to 9.0 million acres; and in 1978, it rose to 13 million acres

The Domestication of the Last Frontier Essay
The Domestication of the Last Frontier
In 1865 the frontier line generally followed the western limits of the states bordering the Mississippi
River, bulging outward to include the eastern sections of Kansas and Nebraska. Beyond this thin
edge of pioneer farms, lay the prairie and sagebrush lands that stretched to the foothills of the Rocky
Mountains. Then, for nearly 1,600 kilometers, loomed the huge bulk of mountain ranges, many rich
in silver, gold and other metals. On the far side, plains and deserts were part of this region; here laid
the "Last Frontier"––– the "Great Plains". "For a long time, the region had been called the Great
American Dessert, a barrier to cross on the way to the Pacific, unfit for human habitation and ...
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By 1890 the frontier had disappeared.
Settlement was spurred by the Homestead Act of 1862, which granted free farms of 64 hectares to
citizens who would occupy and improve the land. "Under the homestead Act of 1862 a farmer could
either realize the old dream of free land and simply by staking out a claim and living on it for years,
or by buying the land at $1.25 an acre after six months." (Tindall 878) Unfortunately for the would–
be farmers, the land itself was suited more for cattle ranching than farming, and by 1880 nearly
22,400,000 hectares of "free" land was in the hands of cattlemen or the railroads.
In 1862 Congress also voted a charter to the Union Pacific Railroad, which pushed westward from
Council Bluffs, Iowa, using mostly the labor of ex–soldiers and Irish immigrants. At the same time,
the Central Pacific Railroad began to build eastward from Sacramento, California, relying heavily
on Chinese immigrant labor. The whole country was stirred as the two lines steadily approached
each other, finally meeting on May 10, 1869, at Promontory Point in Utah. The months of laborious
travel hitherto separating the two oceans was now cut to about six days. The continental rail network
grew steadily, and by 1884, four great lines linked the central Mississippi Valley area with the
Pacific.
The first great rush of population to the Far West was drawn to the mountainous regions, where gold
was found in California in 1848, in Colorado

The Native Tribes Of The Great Plains And The Eastern...
The native tribes of the Great Plains and the Eastern Woodlands have surprisingly different
adaptions and responses to their expansions by settlers; not only in their cultures, but in their
subsistence, warfare, peacemaking, and gender roles as well. Both tribes were forced to adapt and
change due to the overtaking on the European settlers, but both managed to do it in different ways.
First, I will look at the tribes of the Great Plains. These nomadic tribes survived on hunting, and the
great American Buffalo was their main source of food. These massive animals were the main source
for many items the Plains tribes made from their flesh, hide and bones, such as foods, cups,
decorations, tools, knives, and clothing. The tribes followed the seasonal grazing and migration of
buffalo in order to maintain their diet and subsistence throughout the year. The Plains Indians lived
in tipis because they were easily disassembled and allowed the nomadic life of following game.
When horses from the Spanish were finally obtained, the Plains tribes rapidly joined them into their
daily lives. The natives began to acquire these horses in the 17th century by trading or stealing them
from the Spanish colonists in, what is now, New Mexico. The tribes of the Great Plains were not
particularly violent when the Spanish first invaded, three factors led to the growing importance of
warfare in Plains' culture. First, was the Spanish colonization of the New Mexico colony which
stirred up raids and

Great Plains Ecosystem Essay
Aquatic habitats in the Great Plains region were historically dominated by rivers and streams with
associated wetlands and few natural lakes. Native fishes are typically riverine species that are in
many cases adapted to strong current, turbid water, and a wide range of water temperatures.
However, many species that require clear water and cool temperatures are found as relict
populations in springs and headwater streams. The native and introduced fish fauna are an important
link in food chains for many species and are significant economic resources for many communities.
The native fish fauna of the Great Plains includes representatives of twenty–eight families and more
than 100 species. Several other families and many species have been introduced. The minnow
family (Cyprinidae) is the most diverse with more than forty species native to the region. Other ...
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The north–central region (Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming) had ninety–three native species from
twenty–two families while the northern Plains states' (North Dakota, Montana) native fishes
numbered seventy–six species from nineteen families. The Canadian (Manitoba, Saskatchewan,
Alberta) and southern (Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico) portions of the Great Plains were the least
diverse with fifty–eight and sixty–two species respectively. Both regions had seventeen native
families, but the southern region included representatives of two families (Characidae,
Cyprinodontidae) and eight species found native nowhere else in the Plains. The northern states and
Canadian regions contribute two families (Salmonidae, Cottidae) and four species to the native
fauna. The Great Plains fish fauna shows a strong influence of its connection to the Mississippi
drainage. However, representatives of northern and southwestern faunas are also in

Texas Characteristics
Define the characteristics of each region?
The gulf coastal plains are located on the east side of the state of Texas. They have some hills that
cover it but mostly it is flat land. It has some forest most particularly it has the Piney Woods. The
interior lowlands are plains that run through the northern central part of the state. It does not have
many trees except among waterways. There is a lot of limestone based structures in this area of the
state. The great plains of Texas are to the west of the gulf coastal plains. This region has rivers that
run through it. It is on the east of the Rocky Mountains. It has plains that extend throughout the
region. The great plains also have some change in elevations as there are some plateaus present in
this area. For ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
How is each region unique?
The gulf coastal plain is unique as it is the only region that has a shore line. It has an actual ocean on
it. The interior lowlands is unique as this region is a major sector for the the cattle industry. The
great plains is unique as it is known for its cotton industry. This region is unique as it has both plains
and plateaus. The basin and range province region is unique due to its mountains. Also it contains
Big Bend National Park. 3. Have you visited other regions? How many? If so, what did you like or
dislike about the region (be specific)? If not, what do you like about the region where you live (be
specific)? I have only visited one other region. I went to the great plains region when I visited the
city of San Antonio. I liked this region as it is different than the one I am accustomed to in the Gulf
Coastal Plains. Although it is known as the great plains it does have many hills which is something
that is different. I also enjoyed the change in climate as it is not as humid as Houston. I however
disliked the fact that it was further out in the state. Also there were parts where it was a lot of parts
where it was pure fields and no big cities were

Texas Indians During The Great Plains And Mountain Basin...
Texas Indians In the Great Plains and Mountain Basin Regions
Work Edited by: Kobe Jones and Keaton Kirk.
The main Indian tribes that lived in the Great Plains and Mountain Basin region were the Tigua,
Comanche, Apache, Kiowa, and Jumano. The Comanche were a fierce tribe who rivaled the
Apaches and eventually ended up pushing them out of Texas. They originally lived in mountains
until they acquired horses in the 1600s and became powerful and mobile, thus deciding to move
southwest to find more mustangs, buffalo, and a warmer climate. Together with their exceptional
fighting skills and horse riding skills, the Comanche quickly controlled most of the Plains region
and became very wealthy. They were able to follow the buffalo as nomads and use this animal as a
resource for almost everything. They also could trade their buffalo goods with other tribes and make
a profit. The Comanche would skin the animal and use it for moccasins, leggings, breechcloths,
teepee coverings, and skirts for men and women. The tribe was organized with a war chief and
peace chief. The tribe believed in good and bad spirits including the Great Spirit which they would
smoke a pipe to. Men in the tribe were warriors and would steal horses from other tribes and people.
If they were killed the tribe would kill their horse also and put them in a trench. The Kiowa were
another greatly feared and hostile tribe that strongly resisted European influence in their lives. They
originally resided in Montana where

Effects Of The Great Plains Region
Introduction
During the 1930's, a period of severe dust storms caused great damage to the ecology and
agriculture of the Great Plains region in the United States. This period, known as the Dust Bowl,
was caused by severe drought conditions and poor farming practices put into place without proper
understanding of Great Plains ecology. The erosion of topsoil during this time produced extreme
dust storms that could reduce visibility down to one metre and had some dust storms even reaching
the east coast.
Today, the threat of human–induced global warming has caused some scientists to speculate that the
Great Plains region is set to experience semipermanent drought conditions similar to what was
experienced during the Dust Bowl. However, other scientists have claimed that conditions will be
much tamer by comparison.. This inconsistency of results is discussed by Hoerling et al in their
paper "Is a Transition to Semipermanent Drought Conditions Imminent in the U.S. Great Plains?" In
their paper, it is suggested that the variance in results is due to the fact that the primary studies that
have been conducted have used different methods and models to predict drought conditions and
temperature in the Great Plains area. The models and methods discussed include the Palmer Drought
Severity Index, the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, and the Community Climate System
Model.
In this paper, I will describe in fuller detail the three models discussed in the paper by Hoerling et al
as

The Dust Bowl During The Great Plains Region
The dust bowl was a devastating time in the United States history that occurred during the 1930s,
caused by atypically high temperatures, perpetual drought and new farming methods. Vigorous
winds disturbed the topsoil, resulting in overwhelming dust storms which destroyed an immense
amount of farms, in upwards of 100,000. These storms devastated the source of income for the
farmers affected. The dust bowl was located in the Great Plains region, which includes the states of
Oklahoma, Kansas, and Northern Texas. Thousands of workers were faced with an impasse, become
a laborer, doing mindless work for miniscule wages, or move away and search for better work. (San
José State University) The people brought to these decisions that chose to ... Show more content on
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The mother could have effortlessly pawned off her ring, and gotten a few decent meals, or even a
new pair of clothes out of it, however she chose not to. She would rather work so hard that she
doesn't even have time to tell her son not to eat the dirt, or even have time to care for herself. The
mother's hair is unkempt, and her tired eyes tell that she hasn't slept well in a long time, but she
would rather provide for her family than herself. She is trying her best and working towards a better
future. Though they are in the middle of nowhere, the ring means that they are still together. The
ring is a beacon through the storm, a symbol of what was, and hope for what will be. Lange intended
for the viewer to apprehend how vital family was for the migrant workers.
In this image, Lange is also trying to demonstrate that children were still able to be children, and
were still innocent, through all of the turmoil. Although the mother knows that she has security in
her family, she still feels guilt, anger, and regret. The mother was forced to uproot her family and
trek across the country just to find work, and that does not happen without bitter feelings being
formed. On the other hand, her baby has been through these same events, but he remains unscathed,
and innocent. He does not have one worry, he is only concerned about the dirt that he is

Ted Kooser: Great Poet of the Great Plains
Thomas Jefferson, one of the greatest men in American history, described his vision for the United
States of America as a land of agrarian people. However, now, over two centuries later, the US faces
a very different reality dominated by the growth of the urban metropolis, by industry, by the stoic
bankers of Wall Street. Despite this, the poetry of Ted Kooser immortalizes a quickly vanishing
lifestyle of rustic America on the vast expanses of the Great Plains. Kooser was born in a small Iowa
town in April 1939 and received a degree from Iowa State University. After working at Lincoln
Benefit Life, an insurance corporation, for over three decades, he made history by becoming the first
poet from the Great Plains to be named the U.S. Poet ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He fortifies his empathy and admirably clean lines with a gift –– his primary gift –– for...metaphor"
(Leithauser). As a result of the prevalent use of metaphor in his works to create imagery, the
"difficulties [Kooser's poems] provoke are experiential rather than textual" (Gioia), making them
unique and difficult to fully comprehend, partly due also to their simplicity and the author's
commitment to relative plainness. This gives Kooser a particular individuality amongst modern
poets. Kooser's metaphors manage to get "both sides to work perfectly well together" (Baker), vital
to his command over making his figurative language understandable to almost all of his readers,
especially to the unbookish ones. His poems almost always have a clear shift, a result of his ability
to use figurative language to turn even the most commonplace items into something special: "
[Kooser's poetry] is simple without becoming shallow, striking without going to extremes. He has
achieved the most difficult kind of originality. He has transformed the common idiom and
experience into fresh and distinctive poetry" (Gioia). Overall, his poetry has been described as
"brief, imagistic, and accessible" (Kennedy), an extremely difficult task to accomplish as he
maintains the strength of his metaphors and similes.. Kooser's style is defined by strong use of
figurative language to give meaning to other language

The History Of Art In Nebraska And The Great Plains
Art in Nebraska and the Great Plains has been shaped by its diverse groups of inhabitants. Czechs
are one of many groups who added and enhanced artistic endeavors inside Nebraska and the Great
Plains. Czechs have a rich history of artistic pursuits. Famous musicians such as Dvorak and
Smetana, and the country's long theatrical history have shaped Czech individuals. The arts are in
many ways at the heart of Czech culture. Czechs brought this mindset with them into Nebraska and
the Great Plains. Czech immigration, during the 19th and 20th century, contributed to the culture
and arts of Nebraska and the Great Plains as a whole; especially through music, theater, furniture
making, and the Wilber Czech festival. A significant number of Czech ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Kucera states, "Song and music at all times used to accompany man from the cradle to the grave and
were a necessary accompaniment of all important family events." Instruments of note include
bagpipes, violin, clarinet, brass instruments, and accordions. According to Barkan, "Between 1899–
1910... Musicians and actors made up an unusually high percentage (37 percent) of Czech
professionals." Local bands, individuals, and outside traveling artists contributed to the popularity of
Czech music within Nebraska and the Great Plains as a whole.
Czech bands played a significant role in the Great Plains and Nebraska. The Baca Band of
Fayetteville, Texas and the Pekar Band of Damon, Texas found success in the Great Plains.
Similarly, Czech bands are intertwined in the history of Nebraska. For example, The Crete Orchestra
"used to drive to Lincoln back in Governor Butler's day and play at the dances in the capital." In
addition, the Wilber band played for the second inauguration of Governor Butler.
There were several notable individuals who contributed the spread of Czech music in Nebraska, one
of which is Frank Nedela Sr. Nedela Sr. was a well–known and respected musician who lived in
Saline County Nedela's first band, the Nedela Pioneer Band, consisted of himself, his father,
Thomas Aron, Joseph Chyba, and John Svoboda. It was this band that played for the second
inauguration of Governor Butler. The band also played for "weddings, dances, operas,

The Great Plains Essay
Have you ever been in a place of green with forests and animals everywhere? Well, where some of
the Native Americans lived, there were such things. Native American tribes such as the Crow lived
in the Great Plains. The Crow tribe of the Great Plains were nomadic and followed the buffalo
migrations which provided their food. This tribe spent a good part of the year living in camps that
could easily be dismantled and moved to follow the buffalo migrations. Other tribes of the plains
were more sedentary. These tribes lived in permanent villages year round. The Great Plains are
located between the South and Midwest regions to the east and the Rocky Mountains to the west.
The Great Plains Indians were dictated by climate, land, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Most of the Native American Crow tribe members had died out because of low food supply or
fighting. But, most of the time the Native American tribes in the Grassy Plains did not have wars to
the death or extermination of a tribe. In the past time most tribes died but some survived and they
changed their way of life. For example, the Crow tribes may have set traps for animals rather than
sending out groups and risking village population. Some tribes may have become extinct because of
other villages raiding them and taking their land. Another reason for tribe extinction was disease
after the white invasion because the whites were exposed to and are immune to many diseases that
the Native Americans aren't. Therefore, many Native Americans have gotten sick and tribes have
been wiped out because of that.
Bibliography: http://www.indians.org/articles/plains–indians.html
http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/plains.html http://www.native–languages.org/plains–culture.htm
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award98/ienhtml/tribes.html

The Worst Hard Time Summary
Timothy Egan writes the book The Worst Hard Time. In the book, it has a build up to how the Dust
Bowl occurred, and it explains the effects of the Dust Bowl through families that were in the plains.
Then to the end of the book, things are starting to turn around when Franklin D. Roosevelt visits the
Great Plains. Timothy Egan's thesis is that from the beginning, the whole United States starts to tip
the balance of the Great Plains, which led to the Dust Bowl, and the people hitting rock bottom;
however, two opposite ideas come together with faith that the Great Plains can be rebalance. Egan
writes in an inspiring tone that gives a feeling of understanding how the people felt in the worst
time, and he stays on topic of his main point but is slightly bias. In the beginning of the book,
Timothy Egan effectively show that the removal of Indians and the XIT ranch was the start line to
the Dust Bowl. Egan writes about how the United States drives both the Indians and the cowboys
out of the Midwest for the farmers, which Egan signals that this is the spark that started the worst
hard time. Egan explains this by writing, "This grass was never meant to be plowed, James told his
fellow cowboys." By writing this, Egan shows that the cowboys know that the farmers should not
have used the land for crops, because they know that the rain will not always be there. Throughout
the first chapters, Egan continues to give scenarios that tip the balances like the effect of the clearing
of the

The Famine Of The Great Plains
In the 1930's one of the most devastating environmental catastrophes occurred in the United States.
It was called the "Dust Bowl". This decade–long drought, of the Great Plains, was caused by
inappropriate and poor farming practices. Not only was there a drought; there was also a severe
economic depression that was occurring as well. This combination of economic failure and the
drought led to a desolate land, lost lives, misplaced workers, and lose of crops and livestock. The
time in history is known as one of the worst man–made disasters ever. The lessons learned from
these mistakes should be just as important today as it was in the 1930's. For example, the expectancy
of food production will need to be doubled by 2050 to keep up ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Even though there were only a small percentage of farmers exposed to these luxuries the Sooner
State was still a horse and wagon and dirt–road farming state. (Fite)
By the late 1920's there was a severe drop in farm prices that severely affected all American
agriculture. Oklahoma farmers were among those hardest hit. The prices for cotton, wheat, and
livestock, the main source of agricultural income, drastically dropped. This caused a cost–price
squeeze for farmers because the products that farmers had to buy remained the same. These
conditions intensified among Oklahoma farmers who believed that the large corporate and financial
institutions had become their oppressors. However hard the economic struggle was for farmers in
the agricultural depression of the 1920's, the onset of the Great Depression in 1929 and 1930 created
even worse conditions. The farm commodity prices had dropped to disastrous levels by 1931 and
1932. Cotton had fell to five cents a pound and wheat brought as little as thirty cents a bushel. Other
livestock and crops dropped as well; peanuts declined to as low as $1.60 for one hundred pounds, or
about one and one–half cents a pound. The gross income of all Oklahoma farm production, both
crops and livestock, dropped from $314 million in 1929 to $115 million in 1932. Farmers during
this time had lowered their

Native American Culture : The Cheyenne Tribe Of The Great...
The Cheyenne tribe were a powerful, resourceful, tribe of the Great Plains. They fought against the
Americans when they went to take their land. Within their tribe there were very powerful role model
like figures. Some of these leader like figures were Chief Roman Nose and Little Rock. All of the
Native American tribes seemed interesting to learn about, but the Cheyenne tribe had a certain
charm and dedication to their tribe that none of the of the other tribes seemed to have from the
outside looking in.
The Cheyenne tribe was normally located by the Great Plains present day South Dakota. South
Dakota had hot summers and cold winters, their location also had good hunting and grass covered
prairies with some streams and rivers. So they had good planting. Some of the animals they hunted
were bison also known as buffalo, elks, cougars, deer, bears, porcupines, beavers, eagles, antelopes,
and wolves. The geography of the Cheyenne tribe was very well located. The Cheyenne tribe are a
Native American nation from the Great Plains. Their cultural was very basic. The Cheyenne tribe
was one of the more popular and well known tribe. The first Cheyenne territory was originated in
Northern Colorado in 1851.The farmers in the Cheyenne tribe live in earth lodges. The french forced
their tribe west to the Great Plains. Around this time the cheyennes changed to become buffalo
hunter who lived in tepees. In 1832, the Cheyenne tribe separated into two groups, the Northern
Cheyenne. The

Living On The Great Plains
Living on the Great Plains was not an easy task to accomplish for homesteaders who want to settle
there. You had to worry about the extreme temperature and weather, the lack of water, and the lack
of building materials. For me, the most difficult thing to deal with for homesteaders on the Great
Plains was the lack of water. One of the things that made the Great Plains difficult to live in was the
fact that homesteaders barely had any water with them. Water was so difficult to find in the Great
Plains that the homesteaders either had the option of going all the way back to town to find water
which was a very long trip back then or spend multiple hours of finding enough water on the Plains.
This suggest that it was hard to support the lives

Great Plains Precipitation
The northwest region is located along the Pacific coastline and is known for its rainy weather. It is
also home to the Cascade Mountain Range. Idaho, Oregon, and Washington are the only states in
this region. There are a large amount of climatic differences between the western and eastern
mountain sides that runs north to south through Washington and Oregon. The east side of the
mountains are sunnier and drier with colder winters and hotter summers. The west side of the
mountains wet winters and dry summers. The average annually temperature has risen by nearly
1.3°F and is expected to increase to 3°F to 10°F by the end of the century. The precipitation has
declined in snowfall amount totals. Precipitation in the summer time is anticipated ... Show more
It covers Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and
Wyoming. Since it covers such an expansive area there is a wide range of average temperatures. The
northern have such as Wyoming and Montana have an average temperature of less than 40°F while
Texas is around 70°F. Precipitation in areas such as eastern Texas and Oklahoma have an average of
50 inches per year, while Wyoming, some of Montana, and western Texas only get an average of 15
inches per year. In the northern portions of the Great Plains will experience a greater amount of
winter and spring precipitation and amount of heavy downpours and snowfalls. In the center of the
Plains the summers will most likely be drier due to less summer rainfall. The Great Plains livestock
production is a major component of the Great Plains economy. Texas has the largest cattle produce
in the United States. The temperatures increase cause the animals extreme heat stress and will
decline meat, milk, and egg production. It also makes it easier for the spreading of diseases.
Livestock could become contaminated and affect the other livestock in that area. (EPA: Climate
Change, Great

The Ecological Catastrophe Of The Dust Bowl
Between the 1930s and 1940s, the southwestern Great Plains region of America suffered a severe
environmental disaster known as the Dust Bowl, that resulted from the combination of a huge water
shortage and harsh farming techniques. The drought–stricken plains experienced relentless dust
storms that swept through Texas to Nebraska, killing crops, livestock and people. The Dust Bowl
further intensified the devastating economical impacts of the Great Depression and drove hundreds
of families to migrate in search of work and better living conditions all the while capturing the
nation's artists, musicians, and writers.
This ecological catastrophe was caused by both agricultural and federal factors. These factors would
include the federal land policies,

Great Plains Animal Shelter
Volunteering at the Great Plains animal shelter has been a great experience. Before we were able to
get started on our volunteer hours we first had to sit through an orientation where we learned what
all the shelter expects from us as volunteers and how to properly care and handle the animals. Being
that I have had animals my whole life and have had a lot of experience with animals I felt very
comfortable with handling all of the animals. Even though I have had a lot of experience I still know
animals can be unpredictable and can turn on a dime. This is why it is so important to pay close
attention and observe every animal's behavior before handling them. One of the first things we were
taught at the shelter was how to properly remove an ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
If one thing doesn't get done right it can lead to complications or can even affect the health of the
animals. For example, proper sterilizing and disinfecting of equipment and objects is critical in an
animal shelter. Every morning every cat cage and dog kennel gets thoroughly cleaned. This means
removing any soiled bedding and whipping all the surfaces with disinfectant spray. If an animal has
been adopted and a new animal is going in their previous cage, it must be completely sterile for the
new animal. This is so important because it helps prevent cross contamination therefore prevents the
spread of fleas, bodily fluids, and germs which will then help prevent illnesses. With that being said
we have also learned the importance of washing and sanitizing our hand before and in–between
handling each animal. This especially is critical when handling the cats, for some of the cats in the
shelter may be ill and you do not want to spread those germs from one cat to

Expansion To The Great Plains
1.The reasons for the rapid expansion to the Great Plains can be partially drawn from the historical
context. In the early 19th century, many Americans had struggled enough to live in the city and to
compete with others. They wished to expand the settlement to find "a new excitement," or the new
opportunities, which many of them thought was granted by God, the Manifest Destiny. 2. On June 6,
some 3000 Lakota camped to do the sacred ritual as the preparation for the war coming up. Praying
and vowing, Sitting Bull, the Lakota's leader, voluntarily signed up for the sacrifice and envisioned a
great triumph over the American Soldier. Such evoking ceremony aroused passions hidden inside of
the worriers, manipulating them to look for someone to fight. After an unexpected attack, the Lakota
warriors celebrated their victory along a little bighorn river. Sitting Bull, again, prayed for the
protection of his people. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Custer spotted a Lakota village far away. Without knowing anything about the village, he thinks that
the tribe's people must have been fleeing away, and if he does not attack right now, he will lose the
chance. Also, the victory experiences from eight years ago caused Custer to believe this is a similar
situation, so he recklessly commanded to push and attack and promise to his soldiers that he will cut
through the village and converge at there while his

The Great Depression Of The United States And Canadian...
Summary
As the Great Depression continued to tighten its grip on America, nature turned against many
already suffering Americans. The Dusty Bowl, also know as the Dirty Thirties, was a period of
severe dust storms that greatly damages the ecology and agricultural production of the United States
and Canadian plains. Many farmers and ranchers were driven to the Great Plains by the American
sense of expansion. The land they inhabited was used primarily for ranching till advances in
agricultural mechanization and high grain prices caused by World War I, made agriculture more
productive as ever; thus causing farmers to exploit the land in their attempt to make a large profit,
setting up the region for an environmental catastrophe. As a result of over farming, a failure to
implement dryland farming techniques–which would have prevented topsoil wind erosion–and a
severe drought, 150,000 square miles of land in Kansas, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, and New
Mexico, faced havoc not previously seen in American history. The first "black blizzard" occurred in
1931, and they occurred till conservation efforts in the 1940s, but the damage had been done,
reflected on the upturned land and record heat, as well as the unleashed swarm of locust and
jackrabbits, causing terror in children and adults alike. Consequently, massive amounts of people
migrated from the plains fleeing the storms, and those who stayed faced the harmful effects from the
inhalation of dust particles.
Setting
The Great

The Role Of Overgrazing In The Great Plains
Natalie,
I enjoyed reading your post and about the overgrazing in the Great Plains. Over grazing was
growing so rapidly in the 1800's and later in that century caused the public rangelands to become
severely depleted and overcrowded (U.S Department of the Interior, 2015). The Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) reports that after the implementation of the Taylor Grazing Act (TGA) of 1934
there was a significant decrease in grazing livestock on public lands by ranchers, decrease in
livestock population, and increased operation sustainability and stability (U.S Department of the
Interior, 2015). As a result, between ranchers' cattle, sheep and horses, sustainable grass is scarce
and can hardly support a variety of herds. (Rayburn, 2000). In contrast, journalist Robin Walters and
Sebastian Tsocanos report that there are not many overgrazed pastures at all (Rediscover The Prairie,
2014). In addition, they find that it is not a bad thing for a few herds to be around. Moreover, they
express a lack or worry for overgrazing creating another situation similar to the one during the
1800's that was widely considered a "Dust Bowl" (Rediscover The Prairie, 2014). In addition to the
current limitations on land for the vast majority of ranchers, there is now a careful thought taken into
account for future generations which prevents some ranchers to not be excessive like ... Show more
Furthermore, Robin and Sebastian specify the current problem on public land is the over–rest of
grass which is arguable just as bad for the grassland area and its biodiversity as overgrazing
(Rediscover The

Dust Bowl Research Paper
The Dust Bowl
"The air is just full of dirt coming, literally, for hundreds of miles. It shifts into everything..."
– A quote from the diary of Ann Marie Low describing the powerful dust storms that she
experienced firsthand on her parents' farm in the Great Plains.
During the 1930s, the southern regions of the Great Plains became known as the Dust Bowl due to
the severe droughts and dust storms that plagued this region experienced. Part of this occurrence can
be attributed to the farmers because, throughout the 1920s, many farmers had exhausted their
farmland through the overproduction of crops and destruction of the protective layer of prairie
grasses by plowing. This created several issues during the early 1930s when high winds and a
drought hit the region. With few trees to hold the eroded soil in place, the winds created massive
dust storms that spanned hundreds of miles. These storms, combined with the draught, devastated
farmers and many were forced to move further west. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The economic climate of the Great Depression intensified the effects of the Dust Bowl as many
famers were already struggling to repay debts and a loss of profits due to overproduction after World
War I. Some farmers were even evicted after they could not repay their debts. Such conditions led to
a mass migration of rural farmers to the western regions of the country. Most migrants, referred to
derogatively as "Okies", followed Route 66 to California and other West Coast states. An estimated
2.5 million rural farmers migrated west during the 1930s and most found work as ranch hands or in
the agriculture industry. However, these migrants were discriminated against and faced both poor
wages and unsanitary living

The Great Plains Indians
The Great Plains was the home of thousands of Indians. The Great Plains Indians is a tribe that still
lives in part of the North of the United States and Canada. This tribe is also known as the Sioux's, a
tribe that still lives in this territory. Indian tribes struggle every day because they do not have
recourses. They do not live a normal life because most of them have diabetes which makes their life
expectancy shorter than other Americans. Males tend to live till the age of 48 and females to the age
of 52 which is not normal for Americans. Some of the factors that affect this life expectancy are low
income and their nutrition. Most Indians only make about $8,000 per years, that is not even one
third of what a normal American makes per year.

Great Plain Buffalo Impact
In the 16th Century, North America was swarming with a surplus of buffalo that grew to be about
25–30 million of these wild beasts roaming the Great Plains although, that all quickly changed by
the late 1900s when only hundreds were left standing in the United States.(Scott 1) The largest
contributing factor to the extermination of the Great Plain buffalo was the advancement of
civilization along with all of its elements of destructiveness to nature and man's own selfish concern
with expansion and economical gain while overrunning the buffaloes home and gradually sweeping
these creatures away. The United States government's inexcusable role in failing to provide the
necessary adequate protective measures to preserve the american bison ultimately spawned many
severe consequences that worsened the situation of the buffalo. The National Government and the
western states nor territories did not stop mans reckless greed for wealth and power over the buffalo
and of the native americans. The home of the buffalo was slowly becoming over run by man with
firepower. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Many hunters like William Cody traveled to the U.S. to participate in this sport. William Cody aka
Buffalo Bill was considered the greatest buffalo hunter around this time. Hunting buffalo for sport
was another main reason the buffalo population went from 50 million to less than 1,000 by 1895. In
one of William's competitions he bet 500 dollars he could kill more buffalo than his opponent in 8
hours. William won killing 69 buffaloes while his opponent had only killed 46. The role of
government in this instance had a huge blow on the buffalo. While the government did nothing but
to encourage the sport of buffalo hunting, technology advances like the gun made killing a herd of
buffalo fairly easy compared to the native americans who relied on spears. (Buffalo Bill

Life In The Great Plains
California's mild climate was one to provide great living conditions for settlers. Those in the Great
Plains were used to constant and drastic changes of the weather. These changes were not gradual.
One could experience blizzard, floods, earthquakes, and more in a short period of time. High and
low temperatures were also record breaking. Winds were the culprits of the land that was blown
away from locations. This became a frequent site as the conditions of the Dust Bowl headed down
the wrong direction ("Dust Bowl Worst Weather of Century"). A settler stated, "Suddenly there
appeared on the northern horizon a black blizzard, moving toward them; there was no sound, no
wind, nothing but an immense boogery cloud" (Donald Worster). It has been

How Did The Dust Bowl Affect The Economy
There was dust everywhere, covering everything. People and animals falling over dead left and
right. No one can breathe, and are all suffocating from the great amounts of dust particles in the air.
Imagine an immense cloud of dust appearing sporadically and being so overtaking all there is to do
is sit and wait for the storm to terminate. The Dust Bowl effected the economy, the people, and the
geographical region of the Great Plains negatively. The Dust Bowl will forever go down in history
as one of the most catastrophic disasters to take place in the Great Plains. Many events occurred
before the years of the Dust Bowl began. The farmers plowed up all of the ground to grow "cash
crops" (Marrin 58). The plowing of the soil left no grass to hold down the topsoil, leaving it
vulnerable for wind erosion. In 1930, the people of the Great Plains had the biggest shortage of
water in the history. "Seventeen million people were affected" (Worster 11). In the early 1930's, the
temperatures went higher than they ever had before (Marrin 52). By 1932, most people had reached
their breaking point. Before the dust storms began, there was a cutworm plague, a grasshopper
plague, and a rabbit plague (Reis 51 and 52). Between all of the natural problems occurring, the land
and people were both exhausted. They had no idea ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Fish died from the water being so dirty, and they were unable to get oxygen. Cattle were blinded
from the wind blowing dust in their eyes, and they did not have any teeth left from the grinding of
their teeth on the dust covered grass. Autopsies of the deceased cattle showed their lungs full of dust
and mud. The land was also affected. Approximately four–hundred and eight tons of dirt was blown
away from the original place. Ten million acres lost five inches of topsoil, and thirteen and a half
million acres lost two and a half inches of topsoil (Worster 22–29). The land would take years to

Essay On The Great Dust Bowl
The Great Dust Bowl Did you know that the Dust Bowl from the 1930s affected 100,000,000 acres
or 400,000 kilometers^2 of the Great Plains in the United States of America? This time "was a
period of severe dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and
Canadian prairie land". During this time, farmers of the Great Plains were experiencing many
hardships, which were brought on by a combination of poor farming practices, drought, and erosion
prevention. "Millions of acres of farm land became useless, and hundreds of thousands of people
were forced to leave their homes" (Buonanduci 1). During this time, many farmers produced or
farmed cattle, corn, wheat, sheep, cotton, coal, oil, natural gas, and metals. "Most settlers of the
region were accustomed to the climate of the eastern United States from where they had migrated.
Thus, their farming practices were based on vastly different ecological conditions" (Buonanduci 3).
Farmers were over–grazing and over–plowing their fields, not allowing the nutrients to return to
soil. As a result, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
When the sky and clouds were black you would know what was coming. The Dust Storms were
named Black Sunday, Black Blizzards, and Black Roller. Dust storms affected the states of
Oklahoma, Kansas, Montana, Texas, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and
Colorado. By the early 1930s, farmers and families were hitchhiking or carpooling to California.
This left many farming acres and houses useless. Most towns were dusty "with a single gas station,
store, and houses sometimes 50 unpaved miles from [the] nearest neighbor" (Popper 1). Having the
hottest summers and the coldest winters to plant crops in proved to be very difficult as well. Many
farmers in the Plains loaned money from government to plant more crops, which caused 500,000
farmers to file for bankruptcy or

The Drought Conditions Of The Great Plains Region
Jordan, Zachary
Variations in the Prediction of Semipermanent Drought Conditions in the Great Plains Region and
the Methods Used to Derive These Predictions
Introduction
During the 1930's, a period of severe dust storms caused great damage to the ecology and
agriculture of the Great Plains region in the United States. This period, known as the Dust Bowl,
was caused by severe drought conditions and poor farming practices put into place without proper
understanding of Great Plains ecology. The erosion of topsoil during this time produced extreme
dust storms that could reduce visibility down to one metre and had some dust storms even reaching
the east coast.
Today, the threat of human–induced global warming has caused some scientists to speculate that the
Great Plains region is set to experience semipermanent drought conditions similar to what was
experienced during the Dust Bowl. However, other scientists have claimed that conditions will be
much tamer by comparison.. This inconsistency of results is discussed by Hoerling et al in their
paper "Is a Transition to Semipermanent Drought Conditions Imminent in the U.S. Great Plains?" In
their paper, it is suggested that the variance in results is due to the fact that the primary studies that
have been conducted have used different methods and models to predict drought conditions and
temperature in the Great Plains area. The models and methods discussed include the Palmer Drought
Severity Index, the Coupled Model

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