The Dust Bowl - Term Paper Example

The Dust Bowl Introduction The 1930s represented a period of suffering and losses in more ways than one. The New York Stock Exchange had crashed in 1929, leaving thousands of people with cumulative losses running into millions of dollars. The mid 30s saw the run up to World War II. Among the disastrous events of the period was the creation of the “Dust Bowl”, which was characterized by dust storms that followed an extraordinarily long spell of severe drought. The dust storms, which blackened the skies, and eroded several acres of farmlands and left them uncultivable, affected the Great Plains that included North and South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. Many other states including Arizona, Oregon, Washington and Illinois were also affected. (Gregory 6) The Dust Bowl was more than just another natural phenomenon – it affected the lives of millions of Americans, and had long-term economic, cultural, and social implications. Discussion Dust Bowl - The causes The dust bowl was caused by a combination of natural and manmade factors. Bad agricultural practices and disregard for time tested principles, aggravated by continued and severe droughts and harsh winters, led to the dust storms and erosion of the soil in the region that came to be known as the Dust Bowl. Agricultural Practices Crop rotation is a practice that can prevent soil erosion by balancing the requirement of nutrients and fertilizers. Crop rotation alternates crops with different demands on the soil, making it get an opportunity to recharge itself. In the years preceding the dust storms, farmers in the dust bowl region had abandoned crop rotation in favor of cultivating more of the same crops that were in high demand. This, coupled with deep plowing, led to the destruction of natural grass, which provides a hedge against droughts. Soil Erosion The 1930s were marked by severe and sustained droughts that made the land dry, and turned much of it into dust. Heavy winds that blew over the region carried this dust into far away places causing huge dust storms, giving the region its name. Prior to the dust storms that struck the region in the 1930s in a big way, most farmers regarded soil erosion from blowing winds as something that happened once in a while, and caused no great harm. In fact, some farmers even believed that such blowing of the soil was good because it churned the soil, and made it more fertile. Naturally, these farmers attached no great significance to the phenomenon, and took little action to prevent soil erosion or prepare for it. Expansion of cultivable land The increased demand for wheat and other agricultural products just before and during World War I, and the high prices of wheat in the world market, provided sufficient motivation to the farmers to expand the cultivable land, in their quest to profit from the increasing demand and high prices. The area under wheat cultivation saw an increase of nearly 17 million acres during the period 1909-1924. Destruction of Crop Residue The years after the world war saw a sharp fall in prices, and to compensate for the loss, farmers produced more wheat from their lands. Unfortunately, they used means that proved detrimental to the soil, and reduced its long-term yield. One such practice was to burn crop residues to avoid plowing deeply. This resulted in making the soil more dry, and deprived it of its natural ability to conserve water in times of drought. The more appropriate practice would have been to plow deeply, and sow beneath the stubble instead of burning it. Unfortunately this was not done since it required more labor, and also temporarily reduced the yield. To make matters worse, farmers allowed their livestock to graze in land, losing whatever little vegetation remained. As a result, the land became totally devoid of vegetation. (Hurt 139-140) Ecological disaster In the 1920s and 1930s, the mindset of the nation as a whole was geared towards an outward looking and fiercely growth oriented industrialization. The farmers were no exception to this, and could hardly contemplate failure in meeting the growing demand for wheat. Additional wheat cultivation required large quantities of water at a time when water was becoming increasingly scarce. The government and the farmers pumped in more water to sustain the myth of abundance, making it a commodity that could be traded, rather than a scarce resource that had to be conserved. (Cassuto) When successive years between 1931 and 1935 became deficient in rainfall, the soil became dry. Winter made matters worse by loosening the land. There was more high velocity wind blowing over the region following the harsh winters. The conditions were ideal for these winds to carry away the loose soil and create dust storms. (Hurt 140) Economic fallout and implications The 1930s were a period of great depression that spanned the length and breadth of the country, and affected the entire United States. The drought and sandstorms in the region that subsequently came to be known as the Dust Bowl, coincided with the onset of the great economic depression, and added to the woes of the American people. The growing demand as well as the rising prices for food grains fueled a mad rush for increasing the production of wheat in particular, and extension of land under cultivation. Modern implements were used to increase productivity. All these needed huge investments, and the government offered support by extending easy credit to farmers. The exposure of farmers to mortgage debt was very high, and left the farmers vulnerable to the subsequent fall in demand and prices. (Stock 18-19) Land prices fell from $150 an acre in 1919 to $35 in mid 1920s and further fell to abysmally low levels by 1930. During the same period, the prices of farm products fell sharply by as much as 70-80 percent in many cases. With lower prices, smaller profit levels and falling land prices, farmers found it difficult to pay off the mortgage debts. (Johnson 75) Both land and farm products started falling in the early 1920s, long before the drought. During the initial period, it was the margins that were eroded, as input costs increased, and the selling prices for farm output declined. To make up for this diminution in profits, farmers increased production. The collapse of the stock markets in 1929 brought wheat prices to such a low level that many farmers could not even bear the transportation costs, and were left with huge stocks that could not be sold. The economic malaise of the farmers was unfortunately compounded by a devastating and sustained drought in the region. It is difficult to say which of the two hurt the farmers more- the depression or the drought. Production dropped drastically. The drought was accompanied by severe heat, and pests further destroyed the miniscule production. The dust storms also left cattle badly affected, and left a thick residue of dirt and dust all over the houses, requiring repeated cleaning and scrubbing. The drought, dust storms, and the economic depression deeply touched everyday life in the farms, and it was soon clear that the ability of the people to earn their living and to lead normal lives was getting quickly eroded. Poverty was visible everywhere. In turn, the plight of the farmers affected the townspeople and their businesses. (Stock 24-27) Agricultural laborers, who either worked for wages, or rented land from the owners for cultivation, were the worst hit. The declining markets, falling prices, low yields from land, pests, and depletion changed the face of agriculture. Land was reorganized into more viable units, and use of modern implements and tractors became necessary to handle the new parcels of land, rendering much of agricultural labor redundant. (Gregory 6-7) Migration Although the extreme conditions imposed by the drought and economic collapse are the most discussed, and the strongest, reasons for large scale migration from the Dust Bowl region, the process of migration had started much earlier in some parts, as farm modernization had started forcing the migration of farmers right from 1910. The process continued up to the middle of the 20th century, by which time more than four million people had migrated out of the region. The migration that followed the droughts and depression were unquestionably more chaotic and driven by high levels of desperation as opposed to the earlier migration that was prompted by expectations of better opportunities. (Gregory 7) In terms of numbers, about 250,000 people had moved westwards prior to 1930 as against about 350,000 subsequently. However, the people who migrated prior to 1930 were socially and economically well off, while most of the migrants after 1930 were poor, and were running away in desperation from unbearable conditions. (Gregory 10) The new migrants faced social problems that were more enduring and more difficult to bear. The condition of the migrants was the worst in California, where the local residents referred to the Dust Bowl migrants derogatorily as “Okies” and “Arkies”, and treated them as aliens. The hostility was the result of years of accumulated prejudice that was made worse by the economic condition of the migrants, and the fear that the depression had brought in among the local people. (Gregory 78-79) Social and Cultural implications Dust storms, severe heat, drought, economic depression and bankruptcy altered the social fabric and life in the Dust Bowl region drastically, forcing them to give up their hitherto steadfast practices and lifestyles. The middle class had to give up many of their earlier beliefs and notions, as a host of agents descended on the region, offering them a chance for survival. (Stock 10) The poorer classes of landless agricultural laborers were also shaken out of their customary lifestyles and beliefs. Extreme weather conditions, coupled with unprecedented economic hardships, forced both men and women to work much harder, and find new ways to increase their incomes. As conditions worsened, many families were forced to move out. In their new homes, it was a matter of time before the migrants began to be disliked. The migrants lived in poor conditions, were humiliated, and considered lazy and immoral by the local people. (Johnson 98) Literature and Art The Dust Bowl provided a rich raw material to artists, writers and singers. Folk singer Woody Guthrie became popular through his “Dust Bowl Ballads”, a collection of songs on this subject, the first of which was written in 1937. According to Guthrie these songs were born out of the experience of the affected people, of which he was a collector. The collection of experiences was, of course, amply reworked and shaped into professional music that fitted into the musical traditions of the day. (Gold 83) John Steinbeck’s Grapes of wrath published in 1939, presents a poignant picture of the Dust Bowl, through a narration of the experiences of a particular family. The story goes far beyond merely narrating the facts, and is full of references and allegories with a strong central theme and message. (Johnson 2) The book narrates various aspects of life and suffering in the days during and following the dust storms, and how families were uprooted. The book speaks about the dust storms, the agricultural conditions, the economic conditions, and the changes in the farming methods including mechanization that affected the lives of a majority of people in the Dust Bowl region. (Johnson 3) Conclusion The dust bowl was the creation of a number of factors that included both natural and human causes. Any reference to the dust bowl, however, cannot be made in isolation, as it is inextricably linked with the financial crises, social compulsions, and large scale uprooting of people from their homelands to new surroundings. It is also one of the most poignant periods in the history of America, and holds innumerable accounts of human suffering as well as endurance, adaptability and the capability of the average American to spring back from adversity. Works Cited 1. Cassuto, David. "Turning Wine into Water: Water as Privileged Signifier in The Grapes of Wrath.." Papers on Language & Literature 29.1 (1993): 67+. 2. Gold, John R. "Roll on Columbia: Woody Guthrie, Migrants Tales, and Regional Transformation in the Pacific Northwest." Journal of Cultural Geography 18.1 (1998): 83. 3. Gregory, James N. American Exodus The Dust Bowl Migration and Okie Culture in California. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. 4. Hurt, R. Douglas. "Agricultural Technology in the Dust Bowl, 1932-40." The Great Plains: Environment and Culture. Ed. Brian W. Blouet and Frederick C. Luebke. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1979. 139-156. 5. Johnson, Claudia Durst. Understanding the Grapes of Wrath: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999. 6. Stock, Catherine McNicol. Main Street in Crisis: The Great Depression and the Old Middle Class on the Northern Plains. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1992. Read More