The Dust Bowl occurred in the 1930s in the Great Plains region of the United States, including parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico. Prolonged drought and deep plowing of the topsoil over generations caused the soil to turn to sand, leading to massive dust storms when high winds blew. The dust storms devastated farming and caused thousands of families to lose their homes, forcing many to migrate west in search of work, though life was difficult there as well as they struggled to find stability.

1. The Dust Bowl
US HISTORY- Ms.Soule
Kristine Ragan
1930s

2. Why did the dust storm happen?
oDeep plowing of the
virgin top soil for four
generations of farmers.
oExtended drought
oWithout topsoil the
ground turned to sand.
oHigh winds

3. Where was the dust bowl?
The dust bowl impacted a section of the Great Plains of the
U.S. that extended over Oklahoma, Kansas, southeastern
Colorado, Texas, and northeastern New Mexico.

4. What was the effect on families during the
Dust Bowl?

6. Farming was no longer a
possibility .
Cattle and other farm animals
did not survive the dust storm.
No money, no work, and no
food had become a problem!
Thousands of families lost their
homes due to the impact of the
dust storms.

8. Families packed up and
migrated West looking
for jobs and to start over.
But many found that
life was not easy in the
West . Families built
homes out of scraps or
lived in tents.