Caribbean: The Lesser Antilles - Insight Guides (2016)

DECISIVE DATES

AD 1000-1200

Carib tribes from South America travel north through the Lesser Antilles in dug-out canoes, displacing resident Arawak-speaking people.

A family of Carib or Kalinago people, St Vincent, 1794.

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1493 and 1498

Christopher Columbus is the first European to discover the Eastern Caribbean islands.

Colonization: 16th-17th centuries

1592

The Spanish are the first settlers, in Trinidad, building St Joseph. Three years later, Sir Walter Raleigh destroys it.

1623

The English establish a colony on St Kitts, then Barbados (1627), Antigua (1632), Anguilla (1650), and the BVI (1680).

1635

The French colonize Guadeloupe and Martinique.

1634-36

The Dutch take the ABC Islands.

1648

Treaty of Concordia divides St-Martin between the French (north) and Dutch (south).

Sugar and slavery: 1638-1797

1638-1779

Slave trade flourishes in Curaçao; slaves are sold on to the sugar-growing islands.

1690

St Kitts and Nevis hit by earthquake; tidal wave wipes out Nevis’s capital, Jamestown.

1754

St Thomas, St John, and St Croix become the Danish West Indies.

1775-83

American Revolution causes famine in British West Indies due to trade embargoes.

1779

Stock Exchange crash in Europe sends sugar industry further into decline.

1784

France cedes St-Barthélemy to Sweden in exchange for trading rights.

1797

British invade Trinidad.

Reform and rebellion: 1802-1902

1802

Spanish Treaty of Amiens gives Trinidad to the British; Tobago finally ceded to Britain by France.

1816

Easter Rebellion in Barbados of 5,000 slaves led by Bussa. St Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, and BVI administered by British as a single colony.

1834

Emancipation Act “frees” slaves in British West Indies. French follow in 1848 and Dutch in 1863. An “apprenticeship” system is introduced.

1845-1917

Thousands of East Indians arrive in Trinidad for an indentured period of five years; many remain.

1848

Slave rebellion in St Croix precipitates their emancipation in the Danish West Indies.

1902

La Soufrière on St Vincent erupts, killing 2,000. Two days later, Mont Pelée on Martinique erupts, destroying St-Pierre and killing 30,000.

Independence: 1914-83

1917

Danish West Indies sold to US.

1917-24

Oil refineries built on Curaçao and Aruba.

1946

French islands change status to départements of France, officially becoming regions in 1974.

1951

Universal suffrage granted to British colonies.

1954

Dutch islands granted full autonomy in domestic affairs as part of the Netherlands; in 1986 Aruba is given separate autonomy.

1958-62

Formation of Federation of the British West Indies; fails when Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago pursue independence.

1966

Barbados granted independence.

1967

Britain’s islands become states in voluntary association with Britain, with internal self-government. Anguilla breaks away from St Kitts.

1969

British invasion welcomed by Anguilla; becomes a British Dependent Territory in 1980.

1973

Foundation of CARICOM (Caribbean Community) to liberalize trade.

1974

Grenada is first of Associated States to gain independence.

1976

Trinidad and Tobago becomes a republic within the British Commonwealth.

1978

Dominica gains independence.

1979

St Vincent and the Grenadines gain independence. La Soufrière erupts. Grenada experiences a bloodless coup; St Lucia gains independence.

1981

Antigua and Barbuda granted independence.

1983

US and Caribbean forces invade Grenada after the government is overthrown. St Kitts and Nevis gain independence.

Modern times: 1985-2010

1985

Exxon closes oil refinery in Aruba with disastrous effects on the island’s economy.

1990

Arms smuggling scandal in Antigua involves PM’s son Vere Bird Jr. Muslim fundamentalists attempt to overthrow government in Trinidad.

1995-98

Volcanic eruptions on Montserrat. The capital, Plymouth, and the south abandoned. Population moves north or abroad.

2005

Inauguration of Caribbean Court of Justice in Trinidad.

2006

Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados join Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).

2010

Netherlands Antilles dissolved. Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten become constituent countries of the Netherlands; Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius become special municipalities.

2011

Barbados’ historic Bridgetown and its Garrison is added to the Unesco World Heritage List.

2015

Bernard Whiteman becomes Curaçao’s PM. BHP Bilton is granted licence to explore for oil in waters around Barbados.

Bridgetown, Barbados.