Unit 10 - Events of the 20th Century in Texas

Texas has played a large role in many major events in United States history. The people of Texas have helped with and been impacted by various events through history, such as the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, and World War II. Many famous people and heroes have also come from Texas such as Audie Murphy, Cleto Rodriguez, and Bessie

Coleman.

The Dust Bowl was a series of dust storms that happened in Texas and Oklahoma. Between 1900 and 1920, the amount of land being farmed in these states had doubled. People continued to move to this area to farm. They used farm machines that cut away the top layer of soil. This process harmed the grass. A drought happened in Texas, then high winds occurred. This caused large dust storms. Texas cities such as Dalhart, Pampa, Spearman, and Amarillo were all impacted. These storms eroded the farmland and destroyed many houses. Many people were left with land that they could not farm, so they moved to California and abandoned their farms.

In 1929, the stock market crashed. Many people in other parts of the country were losing their jobs and homes. The Texas economy was based on oil, lumber, and agriculture. Many people believed that they would not be impacted by the stock market crash. As the Great Depression continued, Texas felt it. The Dust Bowl also happened during the Great Depression.

The U.S. government created a program called the New Deal. The New Deal put people to work building roads, bridges, and dams. New Deal programs also taught farmers to take care of the soil. Electricity came to many parts of Texas in the late 1930s. This helped people live a better life.

Texas helped the United States in World War II in many ways. Texas had a long coast, oil, and plenty of land. The oil was used to power ships and planes. The coast was used for shipping. Many training facilities and camps were built on the land. New jobs came and many people moved to Texas for a better life working in the factories. The war helped Texas have many different types of industries.

Audie Murphy was from Texas. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers during World War II. Cleto Rodriguez was also from Texas. He received the Medal of Honor for heroism. He was the fifth Mexican-American to earn this medal.

Bessie Coleman was another important person from Texas. She was born to a poor farming family in Northeast Texas in 1892 and was determined to become a pilot. The flight schools in the United States would not accept her because she was African-American. She stayed determined and went to France. She earned her pilot's license there. Bessie Coleman was the world's first African-American female pilot.