  Frontman Marcus Mumford explained the influence of the Great Depression set classic on the song's chorus in an interview with American Songwriter : Said Mumford: “I'd just finished (John Steinbeck’s novel) Grapes of Wrath and was feeling pretty 'wrathful' (laughs).”  The song title alludes to a severe drought that affected the South Western Great Plains region of the United States during the 1930s. The drought brought the arid region to its knees and turned it into a vast dust bowl. Thousands of farm families were forced to flee west and scratch a living anyway they could. Grapes of Wrath focuses on the Joads, a poor family of sharecroppers trapped in the Dust Bowl who set out for California seeking jobs, land and a future. “Dust Bowl Dance” – Mumford & Sons

12/3/14

What was the Dust Bowl?  As crop prices dropped in the 1920s, many American farmers left their fields uncultivated  A terrible drought in the Great Plains, beginning in 1932, caused the region to become a “Dust Bowl”  Dust storms ravaged the region from 1932 to 1939  Many Midwestern & Great Plains farmers lost their farms tch?v=guTek7ipD4U

Which states do you think were affected by the Dust Bowl?

Okies  People who left their farms were called Okies  They sacrificed everything they could not take with them  The number of unemployed and homeless in California ↑

Okies (Cont.)  Okies took any work they could find for very low wages  This created more resentment towards Okies as they had now lowered wages and taken jobs

Hobo Living  The Okies did not escape poverty in California  They often created camps outside of town to live in  Homes were made of abandoned cars or materials they could find  Okies and Hobos would come and either stay or go depending on how friendly the town was

Hobo Signs  Hobos and Okies developed their own signs to tell one another about a town before they entered  These would be found on trees or fences

Bad Times Roll  Tenant farmers, or people who rented land from someone else, were hit hard too  The govt. paid land owners to reduce crop production in the 1930’s, meaning they had to plant less  The landowners would take the money and continue to plant on their land, while telling the tenant farmer to stop planting, therefore taking away their way of life

Discrimination  Mexican workers faced discrimination in this time period  Many were deported  Some of these were actually American citizens who were denied their rights

Abandoned farm in the Dust Bowl. Coldwater District, near Dalhart, TexasAbandoned farm in the Dust Bowl. Coldwater District, near Dalhart, Texas Son of farmer in dust bowl area. Cimarron County, OklahomaSon of farmer in dust bowl area. Cimarron County, Oklahoma

Years of DustYears of Dust (painting by Ben Shahn) Farmers applying for drought relief

Eighteen-year-old mother from Oklahoma, now a California migrant Migratory workers from Oklahoma washing in a hot spring in the desert

A drought refugee living in a camp on the bank of an irrigation ditch Flyer Publicizing a Need for Cotton Pickers

Kismet, Kansas Nov. 3, 1937 Dear Mrs. Rosevelt: I am 13 years old and will be 14 the 27 of this month. I am a victim of a shut in. I have been sick ever since the 12 of July. And have a very lonely place to stay. My parence's are very poor people. I cant even go to school yet with the other kids. And doubt if I can this year. I have nothing I can do but set around and I get so lonely I don't know what to do. And if you want to cheer me up and make me one of the happies boys in the world just send me some money to get a cheap raido. Ihave got proof by the neighbors that I am sick and have nothing to do. My parence names is Mr. + Mrs. A. J. M. My name is F. M. I live at Kismet. Many, many thanks if you would cheer me up that way I wouldn't spend it for nothing but a radio. It would pass my lonely time a way so much faster. I only ask for a cheep one. F. M. Kismet, Kansas P.S. If I had any thing to do I wouldent ask you of it. It will be highly appreached. I am in the dust bowl. We didn't raise any crop this year. And we have to live off of the releif and theres no injoyment out of that. But were thankful for it. My mother is sick and under the doctor's care most of the time and my Grandma that lives with me is very poorly. And that keeps my heart broken all the time. And nothing to amuse myself with. thanks alot

 Write a Letter, pretending you’re…  A farmer in the Dust Bowl region  A government official who has been sent to investigate conditions  A child who just found out his/her family has decided to migrate to California  Someone living in a migrant labor camp in California  Mrs. Roosevelt writing back to the letter writer above  A gas station owner on Route 66, as the migrants stream past  A California citizen living near the places where the migrants are arriving  Or one of your own ideas!