Eastlake High School Surviving the Dust Bowls Discussion

Go to https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/… watch the video on “Surviving the Dust Bowl” and answer the questions while you watch the video. As you watch the video, please keep in mind that the complete answer may require watching several minutes of film on a certain topic. Please number all questions and answers.

1. When did the rain stop and the dust storms begin and how long did the Dust Bowl conditions last?
2. What type of vegetation did settlers find on the Southern Plains at the turn of the 19th to the 20th century?
3. How did states and railroads encourage settlers to relocate to the Southern Plains?
4. Settlers were unaware of the history of _______ and _______ in the Southern Plains
5. How did the American government play a role in the destruction of the Southern Plains and how did farmers respond?
6. During the 1920s the tractor was introduced to the farming industry. How did this change farming?
7. What is the opinion of Milt White and JR Davidson about the bounty of crops being produced in the Southern Plains during the 1920s?
8. Which states were most affected by the dust storms?
9. What factor, other than the dust and wind, killed crops?
10. The government relief provided to Southern Plains farmers was part of what? How were the government programs viewed by farmers?
11. What was considered to be the most horrible government program?
12. In 1935 what new plague was introduced to the Southern Plains? What did people do about it?
13. What did people call the epidemic that was caused by the dust storms?
14. Who was John McCarty and what did he do?
15. Who was Hugh Bennett and what was his position regarding the Dust Bowl conditions in the Southern Plains?
16. Were the dust storms limited to the Southern Plains?
17. What was the government response to the Dust Bowl in 1935/36?
18. What was the government soil conservation program?
19. By 1938 what was the result of the government soil conservation program?
20. When did the rain come back to the Southern Plains and what did it mean?