Saint Thomas, United States Virgin Islands

Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and a constituent of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of Charlotte Amalie.

Pre-Colonial History

The island was originally settled around 1500 BC by the Ciboney people. They were later replaced by the Arawaks and then the Caribs. Christopher Columbus sighted the island in 1493 on his second voyage to the "New World". The Caribs seem not to have survived the first decades of contact with Europeans, either due to disease or deportation and extermination. Pirates likely made use of the island as an occasional base in the next 150 years.

Related Topics:
1500 BC - Ciboney - Arawaks - Caribs - Christopher Columbus - 1493 - New World - Pirates

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~