In the Great Depression in Texas (1921-1941), students in grades 6-8 will explore the difficult years when the economic downturn and the Dust Bowl devastated Texas. Despite Texas’s agricultural solid base—cotton in the north, livestock in the west, and citrus in the south—the state was not immune to the effects of the Great Depression and faced its unique struggles during this period.

After the stock market crash in 1929, many Texans initially believed the state’s rural economy would protect it from the worst financial crisis. However, as the national economy collapsed, Texas’s oil, lumber, and agricultural sectors quickly faltered. The situation worsened in the 1930s with the arrival of the Dust Bowl, a severe drought that ravaged the southern plains, particularly the Texas Panhandle. Dust storms became common, sometimes blotting out the sun for hours, making life on farms and in towns unbearable.

The Dust Bowl and economic depression left many Texans struggling to survive. Farms failed, livestock perished, and rural communities were abandoned as people searched for relief. The New Deal programs offered some assistance, providing jobs and relief for Texans by building infrastructure such as parks, highways, and public buildings. Workers planted trees to control erosion and introduced modern farming techniques to help prevent future disasters.

The New Deal's legacy can still be seen in Texas today, from the cabins built at Bastrop and Caddo Lake to visitor centers at Palo Duro Canyon and Longhorn Cavern and the Indian Lodge at Fort Davis. These projects, reconstructed missions, and farmland improvements shaped the state's future during adversity.

Aligned with US History curriculum standards for grades 6-8, this book provides students with a comprehensive look at Texas's economic and environmental challenges during the Great Depression. Through engaging narratives, historical images, and maps, students will gain a deeper understanding of how the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression transformed Texas’s landscape and economy.