HISTORY

During Spain's early investigation of the Carribbean, Europeans first set foot on the island either in 1492 or 1502. The French, English and the Dutch attempted to base their trading outposts on the island in the 17th century but was fiercely opposed by the native Caribs.

1600s

Francois le Clerc, the infamous French pirate popularly known as Jamb de Bois because of this wooden leg visited the island frequently during the 1550s. However it was around 1600 that the first European camp was founded at what is presently known as Vieux Fort. An English ship called "Olive Branch" on its way to Guyana was carried off its course and about 67 colonists

established a settlement on Saint Lucia out of which only 19 survived numerous diseases and confrontations with the Caribs. The remaining 19 colonists fled the island to protect their lives. In 1635 the French officially claimed the island but the next European settlement on the island was established by the British in 1639. This settlement was once more exterminated by the native Caribs. In 1651 the French from Martinique entered the island under the command of De Rousselan and retained the island under their control until his death in 1654. The governer of St. Kitts' son Thomas Warner asserted Saint Lucia for England in 1664 bringing 1000 men to defend the island against the French. However, within a span of two years only 89 of them were left mostly killed by diseases. Thus the following years witnessed Saint Lucia being traded back and forth between the English and the French in various treaties.

1700s

The English with their headquarters in Barbados, and the French with their concentration on Martinique, found Saint Lucia alluring since the sugar industry developed in the year 1795. The colonists who came to the island were mostly certified white servants serving a small percentage of rich merchants or nobles. The conflict with the Caribs continued to surge up as more and more land was snatched from them. Towards the end of the century, the French Revolution took place and an insurgent committee was sent to the island under the leadership of captain La Crosse. By bringing revolutionary ideas, captain La Crosse set up a guillotine used to excecute "Royalists". The French governer of the island declared the freedom of all slaves in 1794, but just after a short lapse of time, the British annexed the island again, as a response relating to the concerns of wealthy plantation owners. The British thus restored slavery after years of warring. Castries was incinerated down in 1796 as a result of the battle between the British, the French republicans and the slaves.

1800

The British ultimately won, with the French permanently ceding Saint Lucia in 1815. In 1807, African slave trade was abolished by the British, three years after former slaves in Haiti had secured their freedom as the first black republic in the Carribbean. However it was only in 1834 that slavery was really abolished in Saint Lucia but former slaves had to serve a probation of four years nevertheless. This impelled them to work for their former masters free of charge. They were forced to work atleas three-quarters a week until final freedom released them in 1838. In the same year, Saint Lucia was added to the British Windward Islands administration with its head quarter in Barbados. Barbados continued to serve as the head quarter until the capital was shifted to Grenada in 1838.

1900s to Present day

Saint Lucia's 20th century history has been marked by an increase in self- government. The constitution of 1924 gave Saint Lucia her first form of representative government with a minority of elected memebers in the previously all -nominated legislative council. In 1951 universal suffrage was launched and elected members became a majority of the council. In 1956 ministerial government was set in motion and in 1958 Saint Lucia joined the short lived West Indies Federation which was a partly independant contingent of United Kingdom. In 1962 when the federation crumbled following Jamaica's discontinuation, a smaller federation was temporarily endeavoured. Following the second failure of the establishment of a federation, United Kingdom and the six windward and leeward islands of Grenada, St. Vincent, Dominica, Antiqua. St. Kitts, Nevis, and St. Lucia expanded an unconventional form of cooperation called associated statehood. From 1967 to 1979 St. Lucia remained an associate state of United Kingdom being fully responsible for internal self-government. The external affairs and defense responsibilities were however left in the hands of United Kingdom. This provisional arrangement ceased on the 22nd of February 1979 when St. Lucia gained full independance. Saint Lucia continues to acknowledge Queen Elizabeth II as the designated head of the state and is an active member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The island continues to collaborate with her neighbours through the Carribbean community and common market (CARICOM), the East Carribbean Common Market (ECCM) and the Organisation of Eastern Carribbean States (OECS). As a Commonwealth domain, Saint Lucia with her designated head of the state, Queen Elizabeth II is represented by a Governor- General. Power of execution however lies in the hands of the prime minister and his cabinet. The prime minister is usually the head of the parth that win the elections for the House of Assembly having 17 seats. The other chamber of Parliament, the Senate has 11 appointed members. Saint Lucia is an actively participating member of the Caribbean community (CARICOM) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).