6. The Dust Bowl

During the 1930s, a period of severe drought and dust storms devastated the American Midwest. This period of extreme weather, known as the Dust Bowl, forced many thousands of people to leave their homes in search of work elsewhere.

The Dust Bowl was caused by over-farming and a lack of crop rotation practices, leading to the destruction of topsoil. This led to massive dust storms that caused crop losses, soil erosion, and economic hardship for many people across the Midwest. The effects of the Dust Bowl were felt throughout the country, as farmers had to abandon their homes in search of better opportunities elsewhere. The Dust Bowl had a major impact on the US economy, as it resulted in the displacement of millions of families and devastated entire communities. It also caused an ecological disaster that lingered long after the dust storms had ended.