Although Christopher Columbus is often credited with discovering the Virgin Islands, the first people to come to these
pristine isles, in fact, were the Amerindians. This pre-historic people, who originated in the Orinoco Basin in Venezuela,
settled throughout the Windward and Leeward Islands, migrating via dugout canoe. They arrived in The British Virgin Islands
around 900 BC and flourished here for well over 1,000 years.
Columbus came across the Virgin Islands on his second voyage to the New World in 1493. He named this bountiful archipelago,
Islas Virgines, likening their untouched beauty to the legend of St. Ursula and the 11,000 virgins who followed her to martyrdom.
Columbus' sights though, were on the larger islands of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola where he hoped to find gold. The Virgin
Islands remained untouched for over 100 years . . . or at least until its many sheltered coves were discovered by the pirates
and privateers of the 17th and 18th centuries. Some of the era's most famous scalawags are reputed to have launched their
raids from The BVI's shores, including Black Beard, Norman and Jost Van Dyke. Several of the islands here, including Norman,
Jost Van Dyke and Great and Little Thatch, are named after these legendary characters.
The first European settlers arrived in the mid-17th century. All indications suggest that there was no serious Spanish
settlement in the islands. There is evidence to suggest however, that there may have been a Spanish emplacement to protect
their Copper Mine interests on Virgin Gorda. A hardy group of Dutchmen are believed to have constructed a fort at the West
End of Tortola, but their stay here was short-lived as well. They were soon replaced by British settlers, and in 1672, The
BVI was annexed by Britain and administered by the Government of the Leeward Islands. Although the islands' hillsides were
steep and rocky, the English quickly set up plantations to grow cotton and sugar. Sugar eventually became king and by the
end of the 18th century, sugar, molasses and rum were The BVI's main exports.
In 1834, the emancipation of slaves in the British West Indies, a hurricane and a series of bad economic years put an end
to the plantation system in The BVI. By the mid-1800s, the plantation holdings were sold to the islands' former slaves, who
turned to fishing and farming as a way of life. Over the next century, the territory was administered by a British governor
and the people had little say in the running of their own affairs. Although there were intermittent calls for greater local
autonomy, it was not until 1950 that the people's voices were heard and a permanent Legislative Council was established. In
1966 a new constitution was implemented.
Today, The BVI government is comprised of a Legislative Council of elected at-large and district representatives,
and an Executive Council formed from the majority government. This territorial government is headed by a Chief Minister chosen
by the members of the majority party. A British Governor is appointed by the Queen and acts as her representative here.
