Written by Dahlia Power
In the 1930s, a series of dust storms developed across parts of five states. At first the storms seemed harmless, but they eventually became so severe that people could barely step outside when the wind blew.
Human decisions, sadly, played a major role in the creation of the Dust Bowl. Farmers often over-plowed their land, and when the rain stopped there was little left but loose dirt. In the article “The Dust Bowl,” farmer Caroline Henderson described what many people at the time believed had caused the problem: “We realize that some farmers have themselves contributed to this reaping of the whirlwind. Under the stimulus of wartime prices and the mechanizing of agriculture through the use of tractors and improved machinery, large areas of buffalo grass and blue-stem pasture lands were broken out for wheat raising.”
Her words show that some farmers understood their actions may have made the situation worse. As tractors and improved machinery made it easier to plow more land, large areas of natural grasslands were dug up. Those grasses once helped hold the soil in place, but without them the land became loose and dry.
The article also explains that Henderson was not the only person who recognized the causes of the dust storms. Artists also spoke out in their own way. In 1934, artist Alexandre Hogue painted Dust Bowl and other works in his “Erosion” series as a reaction to the disaster. His paintings helped show the public what was happening and suggested that farming practices may have played a role.
However, human actions were not the only cause. Nature also played a big part. During this time period, the region received very little rain. The article “The Dust Bowl” explains, “The drought caused the wheat to shrivel and die, exposing the dry, bare earth to the winds. This was the major cause of the dust storms and wind erosion of the 1930s.” With crops dying and soil left uncovered, the land was easily picked up by strong winds.
Those winds carried dust far beyond the farms where it began. The article notes that “Wind carried the dust hundreds of miles away. By 1937, the dust had reached the Gulf Coast and Middle Atlantic states.” The storms didn’t just stay in one place—they spread across large parts of the country.
The Dust Bowl was a devastating disaster that began around 1930. It made many people sick and made everyday life extremely difficult for families living in the region. In the end, two main causes helped create the crisis: natural factors and human decisions. Together, they created one of the worst environmental disasters in American history.
Advisor’s Note: Seventh grade ELA students are discussing the Dust Bowl as part of the Overcoming Adversity unit from My Perspectives. The author of this story turned an ELA assignment into a full-fledged essay that Mr. Duermeyer was impressed by and decided to post to the Salmon website.
