The Dust Bowl

Sumary
       The Dust Bowl was characterized by wind erosion, severee drought, and economic crisis on the Central and Southern Great Plain. The Dust Bowl occured in the 1930's. It started in 1933 and prevailed until 1940. The farmers were not directly affected by the stock market crash in 1929, but their immunity could only last so long. During the 1920's farmers went into a recession. Farmers were growing too many crops that the population did not demand. Prices of the crops just kept plummeteing and in 1930 the prices fell into oblivion. Since the price of crops fell so low and sand blew over the cropland, farmers were unable to produce enough money to support themselves. Many farmer's land was foreclosed. In 1935 46.6 million acres of crops were gone. A problem was arising for small bussiness men as well, becasue the prices of fertilizer, tractors, and automobiles lowered in the 1930's.

Analysis
      The crash of the stock market affected millions of people living in urban areas. Many people don't even realize farmers were going through a depression of their own. The rercession in the 1920's and the overproduction of crops was just the first part of the problems rural life faced. The Dust Bowl wiped out most of the fertile land, which caused farmers to be unable to produce any more crops. The Dust Bowl did not just affect farmers, but small merchnats as well. Prices for farm equiptment lowered in the 1930's, causeing merchants to lose money.

Citation
       Cunfer, Geoff. "The Dust Bowl". EH.Net Encyclopedia, edited by Robert Whaples. August 18, 2004. http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/Cunfer.DustBowl

Question
         Do you think the Dust Bowl and the economic strife for farmers hada big contribution to America's Great Depression as a whole?