What was the primary reason for the 'Great Plow-Up' of the 1910s and 1920s?
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Correct answer: High wheat prices and increased demand during World War I
High prices and the slogan 'Food will win the war' encouraged farmers to plow millions of acres of marginal land. This aggressive expansion ignored the long-term environmental risks of the region's climate cycles.
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More The Dust Bowl questions
- How did the Dust Bowl affect the biodiversity of the Great Plains?
- The displacement of topsoil during the Dust Bowl led to which long-term economic consequence for farmers?
- Which of the following was a 'new' farming method promoted to save the soil after 1935?
- The Dust Bowl is often cited as the greatest 'man-made' environmental disaster in U.S. history because:
- What happened to the 'Dust Bowl' region when the rains finally returned in 1939?
- Which piece of literature best captures the human and environmental toll of the Dust Bowl?