GUANAHATANEY
These are the first known natives of the island from the stone ages. They left behind stone tools and evidence that they used flints to start fire. The rest is shrouded in history.
ARAWAKS
These people migrated from regions of Venezuela, Brazil and Amazon. I cannot find any particular reasons for their migration. They were expert seamen and great at farming and fishing. The cultivated the land, fished and lived peacefully. They seemed to have appreciated art and culture. Here is an example of rock carving/painting.
Here is another.
These people seemed to worship a plurality of Gods. They thrived for many hundreds of years.
CARIBS
Caribs came from the same regions as Arawaks. Yet culturally they were polar opposites. Fierce fighters and supposedly cannibals, they decimated the Arawaks.
The Spanish called them Caribal. Hence the derivation of the English word, Cannibal.
The Caribs killed and possibly ate millions of Arawaks by the mid 15th century.
SPANISH
November 14, 1493: Christopher Columbus landed on the shores of St. Croix. He moved on quickly after being met with deadly Carib arrows.
In the ensuing decade, the Spanish on Puerto Rico worked with the Caribs on St. Croix. Then a Spanish adventurer raised the Caribs to take some slaves. This led to a Carib uprising and the Spanish crown condemned them to death. The Caribs quickly left St Croix. During the preceding century there were many battles between the Spanish and the Caribs. This had led to a vey small number of Caribs remaining on the island and a even smaller number of Arawaks.
ENGLISH, FRENCH AND THE DUTCH
As the wars had been in Spain’s favor, Spain never felt the need to have settlers in St. Croix. It was the English and the Dutch with a small number of French who were the first European settlers.
Both the English and the Dutch lived and claimed the island around 1625 when the Dutch governer killed the English governor and then the English killed the Dutch governer and then they fought each other for years to come. The English slowly threw out the Dutch and ruled the island.
** SPANISH AGAIN THEN FRENCH AGAIN**
Spanish in the nearby Puerto Rico did not like the English influence and attacked the English and threw out the English. Around 1650 the French moved in and took the island from the Spanish.
Philippe de Poincy, an official of the Knights of Malta, sent in only 160 of his men and the Spanish lost to that meager force.
The French had some settlers but they slowly all left. France continued to claim the island as its territory.
THE DUTCH AGAIN
June 13, 1733 : Dutch bought the island from France. In the coming years there was tremendous growth economically and many many changes politically. Sugar was the biggest commodity cultivated on the island. In 1848 slavery was abolished. Reading through the history, it does not appears that the Danish were successful in controlling or keeping the population happy.
THE GREAT AMERICANS
In 1917 Americans found themselves interested in the island for military reasons. America purchased the island from the Dutch for 25,000,000 dollars.
The first attempt to purchase the island was made in 1899. Militarily it was to halt European incursions into the Americas. That purchase attempt failed.
The island now thrives as a tourism industry as well as agriculture and refining oil. Military aspects no longer seem relevant due to lack of any meaningful European threat.
All images courtesy of google. I have left out major details to keep this short. It is a fascinating history.i am happy to expand on any aspect if the reader wishes.