Allen Hilburn
Mr. Vachon
3B
11/19/14

Dustbowl Panic The Dustbowl era was a challenging period in American history. Continuous drought led to the loss of crops causing a severe economic recession and impacting the lifestyles of those throughout the Dustbowl region. The dry, infertile earth forced farmers from their family homes and contributed to a spike in unemployment due to a lack of work. As a result, those relying on agricultural-based occupations were forced to look elsewhere to support their families. Many people also died, some from starvation and others from harsh conditions of their new arid environment. The Worst Hard Time, by Timothy Egan, captures the true nature of an event such as this. Egan’s book is a perfect example of what happened during the Dustbowl era, demonstrating the new sullenness of the people trapped in this harsh inhospitable land. The Americans impacted by this situation would often succumb to the elements, withering and dying on the vine like the crops they struggled to grow. Some people chose to abandon all hope, while the strong elected to drive on ensuring the livelihood of their families. The introduction of Egan’s book personifies the feelings of the people experiencing the unforgiving realities of rapid climate change. Repeated through the first page of the intro is the phrase “It scares them…” demonstrating a sense of dread. If so much scared them, how did they wake up every morning knowing life was going to be horrible? Those that were able to push on were the strong willed and would not easily be broken by nature. The photograph I selected depicts a family from Oklahoma going west, attempting to escape the onslaught of environmental destruction choking the land and its people. This family had to abandon their home in a desperate attempt to save themselves. The family in the picture appears gloomy and sullen. They left behind