Section 1 - Question 6

How did World War I contribute to the development of the Dust Bowl?

A. The demand for grain during the war led to increased over farming

B. Many farmers joined the army during the war, leading to fewer people taking care of the land

C. The Great Migration westward during the war led to too many people growing too many crops too quickly

D. The expanded industrial production necessary for the war led to rapid land development and topsoil destruction in the Great Plains

A - The war world led to an upsurge in the price of wheat and grain, and thus necessitated the increased demand for wheat and grain, consequently farmers began to employ over farming practices in order to increase agricultural output, in the processes of which they depleted the top soil and this subsequently led to the Dust Bowl of 1930s.

Explanation:

The Dust Bowl of 1930s was a period when devastating dust storm, erosion, drought, climate change and global warming dealt a devastating blow on the ecology and agricultural landscape of the great plain. The World War 1 has been argued to be one of the contributory factors or event that led to the Dust Bowl of 1930s. The war led to an increased demand for wheat and grain as well as other agricultural products, so farmers and sharecroppers sought a way to increase their agricultural output, and then resorted to unholy and unhealthy agricultural practices which include plowing the soil and digging. The also employed mechanized farming all in the bid of increasing agricultural productivity. However, these unwise decision led to an increased porous landscape and subsequent erosion, drought, dust storm, high temperature, etc. These destroyed the ecology of the Great Plain, and finally led to an exodus of farmers from the Great Plain to the Westward, especially California which had a promising gold industry.

C. The Great Migration westward during the war led to too many people growing too many crops too quickly

Explanation:

The WW I contributed to the development of the Dust Bowl because their was high rate of movement of farmers westward of the Great plain for farming which expose the land without protective measures taking ahead.

During this period, government policies on land, the regional weather change, brings about massive movement towards the plain there by making in experience farmers to plant and massively based on demand for wheat which in return expose the floor surface to dust bowl based on lands that have been plowed and exposed. The dust bowl came and started to blow away the already exposed land which do not have deep rooted grass again to grasp onto the soil and brought about eroded soil.

NOTE: The Dust Bowl is the period of massive dust storms that destroy the ecosystem and resulted into drought in the 1930's.