The Dust Bowl was a natural disaster that devastated the Midwest in the 1930s. It was the worst drought in North America in 1,000 years.1 Unsustainable farming practices worsened the drought’s effect, killing the crops that kept the soil in place. When winds blew, they raised enormous clouds of dust. It deposited mounds of dirt on everything, even covering houses. Dust suffocated livestock and caused pneumonia in children.2 At its worst, the storm blew dust to Washington, D.C.3
Key Takeaways
1. he Dust Bowl worsened the Great Depression by wreaking havoc on U.S. agriculture and livestock
2. Severe drought and bad farming procedures eroded the topsoil
3 The Great Plains could turn into a Dust Bowl again if the Ogallala Aquifer is drained dry
