History of Antigua and Barbuda
-
Where are Antigua and Barbuda located?
Antigua and Barbuda is an independent nation located in the West Indies, specifically within the Lesser Antilles island group. It comprises the islands of Antigua and Barbuda. The capital is Saint John's. The nation's land area is 171 square miles.
5 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Who were the first people to live on Antigua and Barbuda?
The earliest known inhabitants of Antigua and Barbuda were the Arawak people. These indigenous groups were agriculturists who lived in villages and practiced farming. Shortly before the arrival of Europeans, the Arawak were displaced from the Lesser Antilles by the Carib people. Christopher Columbus visited Antigua in 1493.
5 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Which European countries colonized Antigua and Barbuda?
Antigua and Barbuda was colonized by English settlers in 1632, who established it as a British possession. While the French raided the islands in 1666, they remained under British control. The nearby island of Barbuda was colonized in 1678 and granted to the Codrington family in 1685. The islands eventually achieved independence from the United Kingdom on November 1, 1981.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How did slavery impact the history of Antigua and Barbuda?
Slavery profoundly impacted the history of Antigua and Barbuda, particularly concerning its economic development and social structure. The islands were colonized in the 17th century, and sugar cultivation quickly became profitable, leading to the importation of enslaved people from West Africa. This system of forced labor formed the backbone of the sugar plantation economy.
The emancipation of enslaved people in 1834 created labor shortages, and subsequent economic challenges, including natural disasters and falling sugar prices, further complicated the islands' development. While Barbuda was planned as a slave-breeding colony, its enslaved population developed a self-reliant community. The legacy of slavery continues to shape the islands' demographics, with the majority of the population being of African descent.
4 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
When did Antigua and Barbuda gain independence?
Antigua and Barbuda gained independence on November 1, 1981. This marked the culmination of an independence movement that gained momentum in the 1970s, particularly under Prime Minister George Walter. Although Vere Bird initially favored regional integration, his party later announced the desire for independence in 1978. The process was complicated by Barbuda's desire to secede, but ultimately, the two islands achieved full independence with Vere Bird serving as the first prime minister.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How have Antigua and Barbuda changed since becoming independent?
Since gaining independence on November 1, 1981, Antigua and Barbuda has maintained a relatively stable political landscape, though it has faced intermittent scandals and corruption allegations. The nation joined the United Nations and the Commonwealth, and became part of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. Economically, the country developed a reputation as a tax haven. A significant economic downturn occurred in 2009 following the arrest of financier Robert Allen Stanford for fraud related to his offshore bank on Antigua. The Antigua Labour Party has largely dominated the political scene, with Gaston Browne leading the party to victory in recent elections.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
History of Antigua and Barbuda, a survey of the notable events and people in the history of Antigua and Barbuda from the 15th century to the present. Located in the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea, Antigua and Barbuda consists of three islands: Antigua, Barbuda, and Redonda, a small uninhabited dependency 35 miles (55 km) west of Antigua. St. John’s, located on Antigua, is the country’s capital.
Antigua was visited in 1493 by Christopher Columbus, who named it for the Church of Santa Maria de la Antigua in Sevilla, Spain. It was colonized by English settlers in 1632 and remained a British possession although it was raided by the French in 1666. The early colonizers were also attacked by Caribs, who were once one of the dominant peoples of the West Indies. At first tobacco was grown, but in the later 17th century sugar was found to be more profitable.
The nearby island of Barbuda was colonized in 1678. The crown granted the island to the Codrington family in 1685. It was planned as a slave-breeding colony but never became one; the enslaved people who were imported came to live self-reliantly in their own community.
" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">
The emancipation in 1834 of enslaved people, who had been employed on the profitable sugar estates, gave rise to difficulties in obtaining labour. An earthquake in 1843 and a hurricane in 1847 caused further economic problems. Barbuda reverted back to the crown in the late 19th century, and its administration came to be so closely related to that of Antigua that it eventually became a dependency of that island.
The Leeward Islands colony, of which the islands were a part, was defederated in 1956, and in 1958 Antigua joined the West Indies Federation. When the federation was dissolved in 1962, Antigua persevered with discussions of alternative forms of federation. Provision was made in the West Indies Act of 1967 for Antigua to assume a status of association with the United Kingdom on February 27, 1967. As an associated state, Antigua was fully self-governing in all internal affairs, while the United Kingdom retained responsibility for external affairs and defense.
By the 1970s Antigua had developed an independence movement, particularly under its prime minister George Walter, who wanted complete independence for the islands and opposed the British plan of independence within a federation of islands. Walter lost the 1976 legislative elections to Vere Bird, who favoured regional integration. In 1978 Antigua reversed its position and announced it wanted independence. The autonomy talks were complicated by the fact that Barbuda, long a dependency of Antigua, felt that it had been economically stifled by the larger island and wanted to secede. Finally, on November 1, 1981, Antigua and Barbuda achieved independence, with Vere Bird as the first prime minister. The state obtained United Nations and Commonwealth membership and joined the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. Bird’s Antigua Labour Party (ALP) won again in 1984 and 1989 by overwhelming margins, giving the prime minister firm control of the islands’ government.
The postindependence political landscape of Antigua and Barbuda remained relatively stable, although the government was the subject of intermittent scandals and corruption allegations. The country also acquired a reputation as a somewhat lax tax haven. Bird retained office until his retirement in 1994, after which his son, Lester, served as prime minister from 1994 to 2004. He was succeeded by Baldwin Spencer of the United Progressive Party, who also spent a decade in office. In 2009 the economy suffered after one of the country’s largest investors, U.S. financier Robert Allen Stanford, was arrested and charged with fraud; in 2012 a Texas court found him guilty of having run a Ponzi scheme from his offshore bank on Antigua. In the June 2014 legislative elections, the ALP regained power under Gaston Browne. Browne and the ALP then retained power in early elections held in March 2018.
The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.
SUBSCRIBE
