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Slaveholders and Agricultural Productivity Correlations
Slaveholding and slavery as a independent variable does not capture the pervasive influence of the institution. Still, when
measured as a variable slaveholding does not seem to have a significant correlation with the production of total wheat and
corn within Augusta. Through slave hiring and rental, both slaveholders and nonslaveholders shared in the greater productivity
and wealth that slavery made possible.
| Independent Variable |
Dependent Variable |
R |
r2 |
| Slaveholding |
Wheat production, by acre |
0.087 |
0.005 |
|
Total Wheat production |
0.463 |
0.212 |
|
Corn production, by acre |
0.015 |
-0.002 |
|
Total Corn production |
0.470 |
0.219 |
|
Swine production, by acre |
0.092 |
0.006 |
|
Total Swine Production |
0.400 |
0.158 |
|
Cow production, by acre |
0.144 |
0.018 |
|
Total Cow production |
0.367 |
0.133 |
|
Cattle production, by acre |
0.152 |
0.021 |
|
Total cattle production |
0.414 |
0.169 |
The data are based on the GIS of Augusta and Franklin households--maps are derived from a D. H. Davison map of Franklin County,
published in 1858, and a Jedediah Hotchkiss map of Augusta County, published in 1870, and based on surveys completed "during
the war." The maps have been georeferenced at the Virginia Center for Digital History, using ESRI Arc Info to produce a Geographic
Information Systems map and database of households based on U.S. census data from the population, agricultural, and slaveowners'
schedules.
Edward L. Ayers and William G. Thomas, III
Slaveholders and Agricultural Productivity Correlations
2001.
Points of Analysis to this Data:
 "Slaveholders in Augusta did not monopolize the best soil nor did they crowd out nonslaveholders or small slaveholders."
"The richest farm households in Augusta, however, had a high correlation with relatively high wheat production and low corn
production, and slavery enabled even greater success on these farms."
Citation: Key = E144
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