Which statement best describes the Dust Bowl?

• A. It was a region-wide drought accompanied by high winds that removed topsoil from the Great Plains.
• B. It was a hurricane that struck Galveston.
• C. It was a government policy.
• D. It was a type of deposition.

Answer: (A)

The Dust Bowl was an environmental disaster caused by a severe drought paired with strong winds that swept away the exposed topsoil across much of the Great Plains. When native grasses were removed by intensive farming and deep plowing left soil loose, the dry, windy conditions of the early 1930s lifted huge amounts of soil into massive dust storms, ruining crops and topsoil. This combination of drought and erosion devastated farms and contributed to economic hardship during the era, driving many to migrate elsewhere in search of work. It isn’t about a hurricane, a government policy, or deposition—the defining feature is the drought-driven wind erosion that stripped away the region’s fertile topsoil.