The farmers who worked the Great Plains had been breaking up the sod and soil on the plain states since the time of the Homestead Act. Poor farming techniques and years of depleting the soil led to the soil becoming susceptible to the winds.
The loss of agricultural production helped to lengthen the Depression, not only in the US but worldwide. The displaced farmers (known as Okies) became the migrants described in John Steinbeck's, Grapes of Wrath. Families from Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada and Arkansas, packed what they could in cars and trucks and headed west. Most were aiming for California where they would become a class of migrant farmers, following the crops during the harvesting season.
Oklahoma Dust Bowl farmers who migrated to California to find work.
They became the reluctant host to the Okies.
They were known derisively as "Okies" as many of them came from Oklahoma.
The Dust Bowl affected Iowa by blowing strong gust towards West/Central Iowa
it affected the people whodidn't have alot of money or a home .
Okies
Okies
Oklahoma Dust Bowl farmers who migrated to California to find work.
The Okies, or Dust Bowl Refugees, were impoverished farmers primarily from Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri who were severely affected by the Dust Bowl during the 1930s. As the Great Plains faced devastating drought and dust storms, many sought better opportunities and migrated to California in search of work and a more stable life. This mass exodus highlighted the struggles of the Great Depression and the resilience of those seeking a fresh start.
They became the reluctant host to the Okies.
They were known derisively as "Okies" as many of them came from Oklahoma.
The term "Okies" was used to refer to migrants from Oklahoma who moved to California during the Dust Bowl in the 1930s in search of work. The term became a derogatory label that implied poverty, hardship, and a lack of education.
"Dust Bowl."
yes
The Dust Bowl affected Iowa by blowing strong gust towards West/Central Iowa
The Dust Bowl was caused by an incredibly severe drought. The states most affected were Texas and Oklahoma.
Okies, primarily from Oklahoma, were forced to travel during the Dust Bowl due to severe drought and the resulting agricultural collapse, which devastated their farms and livelihoods. The relentless dust storms ruined crops and made farming impossible, leading to widespread poverty and desperation. Many sought better opportunities in other states, particularly California, where they hoped to find work and a more stable life. This mass migration highlighted the environmental and economic challenges of the era, as well as the resilience of those affected.