Skip to main content
CountryReports

Select language

ENEnglishESEspañolZH中文HIहिन्दीFRFrançais
Sign In

Expanded History

History of Saint Kitts and Nevis

From antiquity to the modern era — the historical eras, key events, and narrative that shaped Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Speed

Overview

At the time of European discovery, Carib Indians inhabited the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis. Christopher Columbus landed on the larger island in 1493 on his second voyage and named it after St. Christopher, his patron saint. Columbus also discovered Nevis on his second voyage, reportedly calling it Nevis because of its resemblance to a snowcapped mountain (in Spanish, "nuestra senora de las nieves" or our lady of the snows). European colonization did not begin until 1623-24, when first English, then French colonists arrived on St. Christopher’s Island, whose name the English shortened to St. Kitt’s Island. As the first English colony in the Caribbean, St. Kitts served as a base for further colonization in the region.

The English and French held St. Kitts jointly from 1628 to1713. During the 17th century, intermittent warfare between French and English settlers ravaged the island’s economy. Meanwhile Nevis, settled by English settlers in 1628, grew prosperous under English rule. St. Kitts was ceded to Great Britain by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. The French seized both St. Kitts and Nevis in 1782.

The Treaty of Paris in 1783 definitively awarded both islands to Britain. They were part of the colony of the Leeward Islands from 1871-1956, and of the West Indies Federation from 1958-62. In 1967, together with Anguilla, they became a self-governing state in association with Great Britain; Anguilla seceded late that year and remains a British dependency. The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis attained full independence on September 19, 1983.

Historical Eras

The major periods of {country}’s history at a glance.

  1. Pre-Columbian Era

    3000 BCE – 1493

    The islands were inhabited by successive Amerindian peoples, culminating in the Kalinago (Carib) who dominated at the time of European contact. These communities sustained themselves through fishing, agriculture, and inter-island trade across the Lesser Antilles. Their population would be rapidly decimated following the arrival of European colonizers in the early 17th century.

  2. Early Colonization

    1493 – 1713

    Christopher Columbus encountered both islands in 1493, naming the larger St. Christopher and the smaller Nevis. English settlers under Thomas Warner established the first British Caribbean colony on St. Kitts in 1623, followed by French settlers in 1624. The two powers held the island jointly until 1713, enduring repeated violent conflicts, including the 1626 massacre of the Kalinago at Bloody Point, while developing sugar-based plantation economies reliant on enslaved African labor.

  3. British Colonial Period

    1713 – 1967

    The Treaty of Utrecht (1713) formally ceded St. Kitts to Britain, consolidating British dominance, though France briefly seized both islands in 1782 before the Treaty of Paris (1783) restored British control. Sugar production drove the colonial economy for two centuries, underpinned by slavery until emancipation in 1834. From 1871 to 1956 the islands formed part of the Leeward Islands colony, then briefly joined the West Indies Federation (1958–1962) before its dissolution.

  4. Associated Statehood

    1967 – 1983

    In 1967, St. Kitts, Nevis, and Anguilla together became a self-governing state in free association with Britain, gaining full internal autonomy while Britain retained responsibility for defense and foreign affairs. Anguilla promptly rebelled against governance from St. Kitts, ultimately securing its formal separation in 1971 and remaining a British dependency. This transitional period saw the islands develop their own governmental institutions in preparation for full sovereignty.

  5. Independence & Modern Era

    1983 – present

    The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved full independence on September 19, 1983, becoming one of the smallest sovereign states in the Western Hemisphere. Tensions between the two islands have persisted; a 1998 referendum on Nevisian secession secured a majority but fell short of the required two-thirds threshold. The nation has since diversified its economy away from sugar, which was formally ended as an industry in 2005, toward tourism and offshore financial services.

Timeline Preview

The first 7 key events. View the full chronology on the timeline page.

  1. 1493

    Christopher Columbus lands on the islands and names St Kitts after his patron saint, Christopher.

    Christopher Columbus lands on the islands and names St Kitts after his patron saint, Christopher.

  2. 1623

    The British establish their first Caribbean colony on St Kitts.

    The British establish their first Caribbean colony on St Kitts.

  3. 1783

    France relinquishes claims on St Kitts in the Treaty of Versailles.

    France relinquishes claims on St Kitts in the Treaty of Versailles.

  4. 1871

    St Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla united as a British dependency.

    St Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla united as a British dependency.

  5. 1967

    Becomes an internally self-governing member of the West Indies Associated States.

    St Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla become an internally self-governing member of the West Indies Associated States with Labor Party leader Robert Bradshaw as prime minister.

  6. 1983

    St Kitts and Nevis jointly attain independence within the British Commonwealth.

    St Kitts and Nevis jointly attain independence within the British Commonwealth with Kennedy Simmonds as prime minister.

  7. 1993

    Anti-government demonstrations take place following an inconclusive general election.

    Anti-government demonstrations take place following an inconclusive general election.

View full timeline (9 events)
Back to Saint Kitts and Nevis
Video LibraryCompareArticlesGlobal ContentActivitiesLessonsRecipesBlogInternet CitationGlossary