Cotton: In the Confederate South, counties with high cotton production also had the highest slave populations. This map suggests how important cotton was to the southern economy.
Wheat: The percentage of wheat production in the south does not correspond with the enslaved population. Most wheat produced in the South falls under areas with a tiny enslaved population. This shares the idea that wheat was less valuable to the Southern economy than other crops.
Tobacco: Much like wheat, the production of tobacco is located towards the north. Also like wheat, areas with high tobacco production have a lower enslaved population. However, the area of Virginia with a high tobacco production percentage has a very dense enslaved population. This tells me that Virginia’s economy relied heavily on tobacco production.
Sugar: Sugar production was mainly in the southern counties of Louisiana. These areas of Louisiana were also home to a highly enslaved population. This map highlights the importance of sugar to Louisiana’s economy.
Corn: There is a very strong relationship between corn production and the enslaved population of the South. Counties with both a low enslaved population and a high enslaved population have strong corn production.
How might you determine the relative importance of these crops for the confederacy?
All of these crops were important to the Confederacy and its economy. corn, cotton, and wheat were produced throughout the South. Crops such as tobacco and Sugar were more of a localized economy. However, by looking at the enslaved populations of the areas, we can determine which crops created the biggest impact on the Confederate economy. For example, counties in Virginia with a high enslaved population also had very high tobacco production. This tells me that tobacco was a very important part of the Virginia’s economy and how other states in confederacy relied on its production. Also, by looking at cotton production and the enslaved population across the south, we can see how important cotton production was to the Southern economy.
Nicely done!