The Dust Bowl was caused by farmers in Texas and Oklahoma over-plowing and not rotating crops, which killed the topsoil and turned it into sand. During the 1930s, strong dust storms carrying tons of topsoil regularly engulfed the region, sometimes reaching as far as New York and Washington D.C. The dust storms were so severe that they could knock down light poles and leave streets covered in thick layers of sand. Many families were forced to migrate to California to escape the Dust Bowl conditions, while others who remained grew poorer and had to constantly repair their damaged homes and structures after each storm.

1. The Dust Bowl
Jannessa Morton

2. What caused it?
• The dust bowl was caused by deep plowing of the
Virginian topsoil, and when famers did not use crop
rotation it killed the topsoil and turned it into sand.

3. Where did it
happen?
The dust bowl mainly
happened in the
panhandles of Texas
and Oklahoma. Some
dust storms reached
all the way in New
York city and
Washington D.C.

4. During the dust bowl the sandy topsoil became
big dust storms. Some of these storms where so
strong they would tear down light poles and
leave the streets covered in think layers of sand

5. • Some storms got so bad farmers and to dig up 2-3 inches of sand to
repair broken or destroyed fence post. This caused many families to
migrate toward California.

6. • Many people who stayed and waited out the dust bowl became
poorer and had to repair their homes after every storm.

7. • Most people who stayed during the dust bowl died of dust -
pneumonia or malnutrition.