History of Antigua-and-Barbuda

Siboney lived Antigua-and-Barbuda since -2400. Then the Arawaks and the Caribes arrived.

Christophe Colomb unloaded with Antigua-and-Barbuda in 1493, at the time of its second voyage. It named the largest island Santa Maria of the Antigua . In fact the Spanish colonized in first the two islands of Antigue and Barbude, then arrived the French, and finally the English. In 1674, Sir Christopher Codrington based the first large plantation of Sucre on the island of Antigua. The only village of Barbude bore its name. Codrington and the others propiétaires made bring Esclave S of the west coast of the Africa.

Slavery was abolished in 1834, but the former slaves remained still dependant on their former Masters on the economic plan. Few opportunities were presented to freed, because the arable lands missed, the access to the credit being very hard. Moreover, the economy was more founded on agriculture industry. The work conditions remained difficult until in 1939, year during which a commission royal asked for the creation of a trade union for the workers.

Thus, little time after was created a trade union on which Vere Bird was based. Indeed, Bird with the support of other trade unionists founded the Workers party of Antigua (Antigua Labor Party, ALP). The workers party arised for the first time to the elections of 1946, then obtains the majority in 1951.

The Workers party was isolated capacity after the general elections of 1971, but returned to the capacity in 1976, and gained the elections of 1984 and 1989. With the elections of 1989, the Workers party obtained 15 of the 17 seats of the Parliament.

In 1981, Antigua-and-Barbuda became independent under this name and entered to the the Commonwealth. She adhered on June 18th, 1981 to the Organization of the States of Caribbean Eastern the (OECO).

After the elections of March 1994, the capacity passed from Vere Bird to Lester Bird, the son of this last. The Workers party had then gained 11 of the 17 seats to be provided. With the elections of March 1999, the Workers party gained an additional seat and thus had 12 seats. The Party plain progressist (United Progressive Party, UPP), carried out by Baldwin Spencer had obtained 4 seats and Barbuda People' S Movement (BPM) a seat.

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