History of Anguilla facts for kids

The history of Anguilla tells the story of this island, from its first people to today. Humans first arrived in Anguilla, likely from South America, a very long time ago. Later, English settlers came and made it a colony. After some struggles and a short time as an independent republic in the 1960s, Anguilla became a separate British overseas territory in 1980.

Early Anguilla

The first people to live in Anguilla were Amerindian groups from South America. Many people call them Arawaks. They traveled to the island using rafts and canoes. These early settlers lived in groups, fishing, hunting, and farming.

Archaeologists have found about 40 Arawak villages on the island. Some of the biggest ones are at Island Harbour and Sandy Ground. The Amerindian name for Anguilla was Malliouhana.

The oldest items found in Anguilla are from around 1300 BC. Remains of settlements from AD 600 have also been discovered. Places like Big Springs and Fountain Cavern show that these early people were very religious. They left behind special items and signs of ceremonies. Some stories say that the Arawaks were later replaced by the Island Caribs, but this idea is debated by historians.

Colonial Times

It's not fully clear who first discovered Anguilla for Europe or how it got its name. Some say Christopher Columbus saw it. Others believe it was the French explorer René Goulaine de Laudonnière in the 1560s. The Dutch West India Company built a fort there in 1631. But Spanish forces destroyed it in 1633, and the Dutch left.

English settlers from St. Christopher took over Anguilla in 1650. They formed a local council, which was watched over by Antigua. Six years later, people from another island attacked. They killed most of the men and took the women and children as slaves.

In 1666, 300 Frenchmen attacked Anguilla. They forced the settlers to hide in the forests. The island was later given back to the English in 1667. More attacks happened, and tough times like droughts made many Anguillians leave. By 1724, the island's population had grown to 360 Europeans and 900 Africans.

Battles and Changes

In 1744, during a war, 300 Anguillians helped invade the French part of Saint Martin. They held it until 1748. In 1745, two French ships landed 700 men at Crocus Bay on Anguilla. But 150 local fighters, led by Governor Hodge, pushed them back.

Another attack happened in 1796 during the Napoleonic Wars. French warships landed 400 men at Rendezvous Bay. They destroyed villages, but the local British fighters regrouped. A British warship, HMS Lapwing, arrived and defeated the French ships. The attack failed again.

People tried to grow crops like sugar and cotton on plantations using enslaved Africans. But Anguilla's soil and climate were not good for this. The plantations mostly failed. The island's population dropped from about 10,000 to just 2,000. By 1819, there were 360 Europeans, 320 free Africans, and 2,451 enslaved people.

Britain ended slavery in its colonies in the 1830s. Many plantation owners went back to Europe. The freed people stayed in Anguilla, working as farmers and fishermen. There were also droughts and famines in the 1830s and 1840s. The British government even tried to move everyone to British Guiana, but most people stayed.

In the 1800s, Anguilla's main trade was salt from its large central lake. About 3 million bushels were produced each year and sent to the United States.

Joining with Other Islands

In 1871, Anguilla was forced to join a group with St Kitts. The next year, the islands asked Britain to let them rule themselves separately. By this time, Anguilla's population was around 3,000. In 1882, Nevis was added to the group.

By the time of the First World War, Anguilla's population was 3,890. Making charcoal had caused many trees to be cut down. But this created more land for cattle, which were sent to Saint Thomas.

Anguilla finally got more say in its own government in 1951. It was part of the British colony of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla. From 1958 to 1962, this group of three islands was part of the larger West Indies Federation.

Modern Anguilla

On February 27, 1967, Britain gave the territory of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla a new status. It became an "associated state" with its own constitution. This meant it had a lot of self-government.

However, many Anguillans were unhappy about still being under the control of Saint Kitts. On May 30, 1967, a day now known as "Anguilla Day," the police from Saint Kitts were sent off the island. The new government asked the United States for help, but they said no.

On July 11, 1967, Anguilla held a vote about leaving Saint Kitts. The results were 1,813 votes for leaving and only 5 against. A separate council was immediately formed. Peter Adams was the first leader of this council.

After some talks, Adams agreed to return Anguilla to the federation, but with more self-rule. However, the Anguilla Council rejected this plan. They replaced Adams with Ronald Webster. In December, British officials worked out a temporary agreement. A British official would help run Anguilla for one year. Tony Lee took this job in January 1968. But by the end of the year, no long-term plan was agreed upon.

On February 7, 1969, Anguilla held a second vote. The results were 1,739 to 4 against rejoining Saint Kitts. Anguilla then declared itself an independent republic, with Ronald Webster as its leader again.

A new British official, William Whitlock, arrived on March 11, 1969, with a new plan. He was quickly sent away. On March 19, 1969, British soldiers and police officers landed peacefully on the island. They were there to "restore order." Later that year, the troops left, and army engineers came to improve public services.

Tony Lee returned as Commissioner. In 1971, he worked out another temporary agreement with the islanders. This agreement basically allowed Anguilla to separate from Saint Kitts and Nevis. Anguilla received its first constitution on February 12, 1976.

Finally, on December 19, 1980, Anguilla officially separated from Saint Kitts. It became a separate British dependency. While Saint Kitts and Nevis became fully independent from Britain in 1983, Anguilla is still a British overseas territory today.

In recent years, Anguilla has become a popular place for tourists who want a high-end vacation. Tourism is now one of the main parts of its economy. Fishing is also important, and a financial services industry is growing. Most people in Anguilla today are of African descent, with a smaller number having European (mostly English) family roots.

See also

In Spanish: Historia de Anguila para niños

• Republic of Anguilla
• History of the Caribbean
• History of the Americas