World History
History of Antigua and Barbuda
History of Antigua and Barbuda This is a good overview of the history of Antigua and Barbuda. I know I would like to visit this country soon!
From the site:
Antigua was first inhabited by the Siboney ("stone people") whose settlements date at least to 2400 BC. The Arawaks who originated in Venezuela and gradually migrated up the chain of islands now called the Lesser Antilles succeeded the Siboney. The warlike Carib people drove the Arawaks from neighboring islands but apparently did not settle on either Antigua or Barbuda.
Christopher Columbus landed on the islands in 1493 naming the larger one "Santa Maria de la Antigua." The English colonized the islands in 1632. Sir Christopher Codrington established the first large sugar estate in Antigua in 1674, and leased Barbuda to raise provisions for his plantations. Barbuda's only town is named after him. Codrington and others brought slaves from Africa's west coast to work the plantations.
Antiguan slaves were emancipated in 1834 but remained economically dependent on the plantation owners. Economic opportunities for the new freedmen were limited by a lack of surplus farming land, no access to credit, and an economy built on agriculture rather than manufacturing. Poor labor conditions persisted until 1939 when a member of a royal commission urged the formation of a trade union movement.
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History Of Montserrat
History of Montserrat. This is a brief history of this small island recently best known for volcanic activity. Wikipedia notes, "Montserrat is a lush, mountainous island in the Caribbean Sea, located in the Leeward Islands, part of the chain of islands...
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History Of St. Kitts And Nevis
History of St. Kitts and Nevis. This provides a short history to the tiny nation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Wikipedia notes that, "The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, located in the Leeward Islands is a unitary island nation in the Caribbean. The capital-city...
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History Of St. Vincent And The Grenadines
History of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This is a brief look at the history of the islands nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The emphasis is on more recent political events. Wikipedia notes that, "Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an independent...
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History Of Trinidad And Tobago
History of Trinidad and Tobago. This is a short and not entirely satisfying history of the Carribean island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. The emphasis of the essay is on recent political history rather than on the earlier days. The islands lay off the...
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History Of Us Virgin Islands
History of US Virgin Islands. This is a short but decent history of the American portion of the Virgin Islands. From the site: The Virgin Islands were originally settled by the Ciboney, Carib, and Arawaks. The islands were named by Christopher Columbus...
World History