Why did much of the Great Plans become a "Dust Bowl" in the 1930s?
1 Answer
Agricultural techniques of the 1920s created the necessary conditions in the 1930s to cause the disaster that displaced up to 3.5 million Americans.
Explanation:
The practice of deep cultivation of the soil and the complete removal of the natural deep rooted grasses that held the soil in place, and the burning of stubble to fight weeds combined unusually dry weather in 1934, 1936, and 1939-40 caused this environmental disaster. Some areas experienced up to 8 years of dry weather. The wind swept up millions of pounds of soil and blew it as far as the New England Coast.
In many places up to 75% of the topsoil was blown away.
The mechanization of farming also encouraged farmers to seed larger areas of marginal land that were badly affected by cultivation and dry weather.
In the states of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico, millions of people were forced from their homes to seek any opportunity elsewhere. Many of these people made their way to California.
About a third of these migrants were white collar workers who moved because of economic bad times.
Things went similarly in Canada. About 250, 000 people were displaced in Canada. Saskatchewan was the hardest hit. It gave rise to the Socialist (CCF) party in Saskatchewan. Grasshoppers and Hail added to the crop losses.
