History of Dominica: Discovery

Discovering Dominica: History

History

Before 1493 > The island was inhabited by the Arawak Indians, then by the Caribbean.
1493 One Sunday, Christopher Columbus sailed along the coast of the island, and called it Sunday (in Spanish: Domingo, where we get Dominica). The Spanish quickly left the French and the English to quibble over who was to govern it. Twice their gunfire started a fire and totally destroyed Roseau.
17th century French and English fighting.
1748 The French and the English abandon the island to the Caribbeans and declare it a neutral zone in order to put an end to the conflict.
1783 The Treaty of Paris conferred Dominica to England.
1805 The French break the Treaty and try to take possession of Dominica. Result: complete destruction of Roseau, again by fire. After a final reconquest attempt, in particular by setting fire to Roseau, the French leave the island definitively and receive an indemnity in exchange. Dominica became an English colony.
1833 Abolition of slavery.
1967 The colony becomes an associated state of the Commonwealth and starts the process for independence, connected in particular with the installation of a democracy.
1979 Independence was effective on 3 November.
1979 The island was hard hit by Hurricane David.
1980 Election of the Prime Minister, Eugenia Carles, nicknames the "Iron lady of the Antilles" because of her authoritarian manners.
1996 Election of a new Prime Minister, Edisson James. He opened the island up to tourism.
2000 Dominica celebrates the 21st anniversary of its independence and the election of the very charismatic Roosevelt Douglas, who engaged upon an international crusade to promote his country and ask for international aid. He died six months later and Pierre Charles, his right-hand man, was elected Prime Minister!
2003 Pierre Charles, Prime Minister of the country.
2004 After the death of the late Pierre Charles, the youngest Prime Minister, in his thirties is currently running the country: the honourable Prime Minister, M. Roosevelt Skerrit.