Slavery and the Plantation System

The American South is home to some of the world's most spectacular ecosystems, from coral reefs to salt water marshes. It is also home to the origin of slavery and the plantation system in America. Three national monuments present this profound legacy of ecology and history ... a history that includes the birth of the nation's first and greatest president, George Washington. Chapter 1: Buck Island Reef and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monuments (Virgin Islands) Chapter 2: George Washington Birthplace National Monument (Virginia)