Final answer:
The Dust Bowl was the environmental disaster that struck the nation during the Depression, affecting American agriculture in the 1930s. Severe storms and drought led to massive dust storms and the removal of topsoil, causing the loss of farmland and hardship for farmers and ranchers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The environmental disaster that struck the nation during the Depression is known as the Dust Bowl. The Dust Bowl refers to severe storms and drought that affected American agriculture in the 1930s, specifically in the Great Plains and Midwest regions. These conditions led to massive dust storms, erosion, and the removal of topsoil, resulting in the loss of farmland and hardship for farmers and ranchers.