Which of the following describes the 'Suitcase Farmers' who were often blamed for the Dust Bowl?
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Correct answer: City investors who planted wheat but never lived on the land to tend it
These non-resident farmers often ignored soil conservation because they were only interested in quick profits from high wheat prices. When the drought hit, they simply abandoned their fields, leaving the loose soil to the wind.
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More The Dust Bowl questions
- The 'Black Sunday' storm of April 14, 1935, is significant because it:
- Ecologically, why was wheat a poor substitute for native buffalo grass on the Great Plains?
- What role did the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) play in combating the Dust Bowl?
- What was the primary reason for the 'Great Plow-Up' of the 1910s and 1920s?
- 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?