What major event in the 1930s drastically affected agriculture in Oklahoma?

The Dust Bowl was a catastrophic event during the 1930s that had a profound impact on agriculture in Oklahoma, as well as in several other states in the Great Plains region. This environmental disaster was primarily caused by a combination of severe drought and poor agricultural practices. Farmers, in an attempt to increase productivity, engaged in extensive plowing that removed the natural grasses which helped retain moisture in the soil. When the drought struck, the loose, dry topsoil became highly susceptible to wind erosion, leading to massive dust storms that devastated the land.

The effects of the Dust Bowl were dire: millions of acres of farmland were rendered useless, leading to a significant decline in agricultural output and economic hardship for many farmers and their families. Many Oklahomans, unable to sustain themselves due to failed crops and ruined land, were forced to leave their homes in search of better opportunities elsewhere, contributing to a large-scale migration towards the West, particularly to California.

In contrast, the Great Flood refers to various flooding events but was not a singular event that had the same lasting implications for agriculture. The Great Migration, while significant in terms of demographic changes and the movement of African Americans from the rural South to urban areas, primarily occurred earlier in the 20th century