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Anguilla was a lush island covered in dense rain forest almost 4000 years ago. It was discovered by Amerindian people who came here from South America's mainland, through rafts and canoes. They called Anguilla "Malliouhana" meaning arrow-shape sea serpent. These people developed villages, farms and ceremonial sites to their gods. |
Evidence of Amerindians people as old as 3300 years has been found at the eastern end of Anguilla, including Shell axes, conch shell drinking vessels, flint blades and stone objects from the pre-ceramic era. By the fourth century AD, Amerindians of the Saladoid culture settled in Anguilla. The Saladoids were adept farmers, pottery makers, weavers and basket makers. The Arawak Indian belief was based on the sun and moon and two sacred caverns, where they believed all of mankind originated. There is much evidence of this belief system in Anguilla's two impressive cave sites located at the eastern end of the island, the Big Springs at Island Harbour and The Fountain at Shoal Bay.
Christopher Columbus sailed by Anguilla is 1493 but never landed. During this time the Europeans changed the island's name from Malliouhana to Anguilla, for its long eel shape.
In 1650 Anguilla first became colonized. English settlers found that the soil in Anguilla was good for growing corn and tobacco, so plantations began. In 1666 Anguilla was captured by a French expedition and settlers fled to the forests. The following year the island was returned to Britain under the Treaty of Breda. In 1744 Anguilla, recaptured the French half of neighboring St. Martin under the aegis of St. Kitts privateers. The French retaliated in May 21, 1745 and St. Martin was returned to the French in 1748 under the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.
During the 1800's Anguilla possessed a plantation economy, with Rum, sugar, cotton, indigo, fustic and mahogany as the chief exports. Unfortunately, the soil on Anguilla was thin and rainfall was unreliable created unfavorable conditions for a plantation economy, the slaves begin to develop into individual peasant proprietors, fisherman or sailors, increasing their personal independence. By 1833 the British Parliament passed the Emancipation Act which came into force on August 1, 1834.
The year 1830's brought the union of St. Kitts -Nevis-Anguilla on Britain's recommendation -- a union protested by the majority of Anguilla's freeholders. Anguilla was allowed one freeholder representative to the House of Assembly on the Island of St. Kitts and was mostly neglected by the tri-island legislature.
In 1958, St. Kitts -Nevis-Anguilla became part of the Federation of the West Indies. The Federation collapsed in 1962, which resulted in individual constitutions for most islands St. Kitts -Nevis-Anguilla was made an associated statehood, a political decision that sparked the Anguilla Revolution. May 30, 1967 is celebrated today as Anguilla Day. This day commemorates the repulsion of the Royal St. Kitts police force from the island. Britain intervened and a peacekeeping committee was established. Debates over Anguilla's succession continued to be negotiated for another decade until December 19, 1980, Anguilla became a separate Dependent Territory with some measure of autonomy in Government.
