Which combination best explains the cause of the Dust Bowl in the 1930s?

• A. Volcanic eruption
• B. Heavy rainfall and floods
• C. Earthquake disturbance
• D. Drought and unsustainable farming practices

Answer: (D)

Severe drought combined with unsustainable farming practices is the best explanation because the Dust Bowl happened when extremely dry conditions hit the Great Plains and soils were left bare after years of intensive tillage and removal of native grasses. Without moisture, soil becomes loose and dusty, and without protective vegetation, strong winds can lift and carry the topsoil for miles. This combination—moisture deficit plus exposed soil due to farming methods that did not preserve soil structure or cover—led to massive wind erosion and huge dust storms that devastated farms and livelihoods.

Other scenarios don’t fit the event. A volcanic eruption would produce ash and air pollution, not the prolonged, drought-driven wind erosion that stripped the land. Heavy rainfall would help bind and protect soil rather than create dust storms, and earthquakes don’t cause the widespread, long-lasting wind erosion seen in this era.