The Dust Bowl happened during the Great Depression, which lasted from 1930-39. The cause of the Dust Bowl had a series of events that led to it. First, the economic depression led to many submarginal lands to be put into production. Because of this, deep rooted prairie grasses were dug up, droughts happened when farmers took out those necessary resources and implanted grain, since it was a requirement for WW1. Then, because droughts were happening, the top soil was exposed and many acres under cultivation were ruined/damaged. As the south was under severe drought (high temperatures), the high winds lead to the build up of sand, finally leading to the Dust Bowl.