Great Depression

What happened in the first three decades of the 1900s?

There were significant and continuous in farming technology, including better tractors, mechanized plowing, combines and more.

From 1900 to 1920, the amount of farmland in the plains region doubled,

From 1925 to 1930, the amount of cultivated land tripled.

How did farming practices negatively affect the environment of the Great Plains?

They used practices which deprived the soil of its nutrients and increased the possibility of erosion.

What happened in 1930 and how long did it last?

A severe drought struck the Great Plains region, which lasted nearly the entire decade.

Where were the affected regions?

The panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma, Western Kansas, and a large portions of Colorado and New Mexico.

What happened to the topsoil in the dust bowl region?

The topsoil turned into dust and blew away.

What were the storms called?

“Black Blizzards”

What efforts were made to combat the Dust Bowl?

The civilian conservation Corps planted more than 200 million trees from Texas to Canada to block the wind and hold the soil in place.

Farmers were also constructed in soil conservation, techniques such as crop rotation, contour plowing and terracing.

How successful were these efforts?

They were very successful, they succeeded in reducing the amount of blowing dust by 65%.

By the time rainfall returned to normal levels, nearly 75% of the topsoil had been blown away in some areas.

It took years before the region recovered completely.

Bank Runs:

“Banking Crisis of the 1930s”

When you deposit money in bank, what does the bank do with your money?

The bank only keeps a certain percentage of that deposit on reserve. And lend to others for loan.

This banking system works perfectly if what happens?

If people pay their loans back on time , and so banks can be sure to give you your money to withdraw it.

What three events happened during the Great Depression?

Stock market crashed

Bank runs

missed/late loan payments.