The Great Depression: Causes, The Dust Bowl and Farms by Elliot Chetwynd

The Start

gabrielfreitas2025 — 2023-12-06 13:21:40 UTC

The stock market crash of 1929 is generally considered the start of The Great Depression. Millions were lost by investors, but most working-class people did not put much of their money in stocks, so the crash did not immediately affect them.

The area

elliotchetwynd2025 — 2023-12-06 13:25:42 UTC

The dust bowl as an area refers to the various parts of Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, northern Texas and a small chunk of New Mexico

Dusty Dirty Farms

elliotchetwynd2025 — 2023-12-06 13:27:52 UTC

Severe droughts combined with bad farming practices leftover from WWI resulted in the perfect conditions for the dust bowl. Loose topsoil from farms was whipped up by winds, leaving everything in its path covered in dirt. The storms continued through the 1930s, displacing tons of soil and farmers alike. Farms were destroyed and farmers couldn't pay back their loans, forcing many to sell their land and leave.

Capitalism Takeover

kauanobrega2025 — 2023-12-06 13:28:58 UTC

Farms were taken away from families and sold to big landowners called agribusiness. Tractors took over the people's job in the farm because it was faster and easier causing fewer jobs for people to work in the fields .

kauanobrega2025 — 2023-12-06 13:33:09 UTC

An image of a farm suffering from the depression

Effects of the crash

gabrielfreitas2025 — 2023-12-06 13:35:27 UTC

The crash caused the economy to be turned on its head, with thousands of banks now bankrupt. This led to an overall economic struggle for all as those involved—those who lost their money—tried to increase the prices of goods and services to make their money back, but the common people couldn't afford it, a vicious cycle leading to a 12-year-long economic recession.

Everyone Goes to California

elliotchetwynd2025 — 2023-12-06 13:41:27 UTC

As a result of the dust bowls, many families moved to California because they heard there were lots of jobs and land.More than 300,000 people in total moved to California, but there weren't enough jobs for everyone.

elliotchetwynd2025 — 2023-12-06 13:54:03 UTC

People rushing to withdraw their money from the banks before it's gone