Disaster in the Heartland: The American Dust Bowl

Abstract

The Homestead Act, introduction of cattle and high yield crops, along with technological transformations in agriculture, and an ill-timed drought cycle began the disaster known as the Dust Bowl. The first section of this thesis project closely examines the Dust Bowl era of American history and the impact on several agricultural regions in the United States, both economically and culturally. It explores the historical cause and effect of this calamitous time in our nation’s history. Discussion of this era also touches on the Great Depression, the New Deal, and other pertinent legislation. In the second section, the project explores the effect of visuals to aid in discovery and literacy of a given subject area. In this study of United States history, political cartooning is then explored as a means to understanding not only the “what” of history but the “why.” This project concludes with resources, visuals, and student worksheets. Teachers of this important historical time frame will benefit from the scripted, two day set of lessons plans included on this topic.