Monticello is one of the most important and recognizable national landmark’s in the history of the USA. It was designed and built by the very famous third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. He started designing it when he was only 26 years old. It is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Recently, archaeologists launched a new initiative to try to uncover more facts about activities on the grounds of Monticello. A discovery was made that completely shocked historians. Keep reading to find out more about the new groundbreaking historical find and its significance!
A President’s Plantation
Thomas Jefferson became President after the election called “The Revolution of 1800.” Jefferson defeated incumbent John Adams and became the first Anti-Federalist President in US history. Despite Adams being of the Federalist party, there was a peaceful transition of power to Jefferson. Jefferson primarily resided on his Monticello plantation which is located in Charlottesville, Virginia before he moved into the White House in 1801. While construction began in 1768, and there has been much historical research into the building and its grounds, a recent discovery revealed new details that were previously unknown by historians.
New Discovery At Monticello
The Controversy Surrounding Monticello
Thomas Jefferson was 26-years-old when he started building Monticello on land that he inherited from his father. The massive 5,000-acre plantation was used to cultivate crops including tobacco and wheat. Because it was a plantation, it is controversial. It is linked to the dark history of labor in the United States. Jefferson used free workers, indentured servants, and slaves for construction of Monticello, and had hundreds of slaves working and living there. While these facts have been known for awhile, a new discovery in 2017 reveals new information.
5000 Acre Plantation
