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. Map of Central America and the Caribbean The Caribbean Sea is a tropical body of water adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean and southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. ... Charlotte Amalie is the capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands, a territory of the United States of America. ...

Charlotte Amalie, capital of St. Thomas

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 854 KB) Summary w:Explorer of the Seas and w:Sea Princess at Charlotte Amalie, St. ...

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. (Redirected from 1500 BC) Centuries: 17th century BC - 16th century BC - 15th century BC Decades: 1550s BC 1540s BC 1530s BC 1520s BC 1510s BC - 1500s BC - 1490s BC 1480s BC 1470s BC 1460s BC 1450s BC Events and Trends Stonehenge built in Wiltshire, England The element Mercury has been... Ciboney (also Siboney) is a word derived from the Caribbean Indian language of the Arawak. ... The term Arawak (from aru, the Lokono word for cassava flour), was used to designate the friendly Amerindians encountered by the Spanish in the Caribbean. ... This article is about the Island Carib, who lived on the islands of the Caribbean. ... Christopher Columbus (1451? – 20 May 1506) was assumed to be an Italian explorer and trader who crossed the Atlantic Ocean and reached the Americas on October 12, 1492 under the flag of Castile. ... 1493 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Carte dAmérique, Guillaume Delisle, c. ... This article is about sea pirates. ...

Danish Colonial Period

Map of U.S. Virgin Islands

The Danish established a presence on Saint Thomas as early as 1666, and by 1672 had established control over the entire island through the Danish West India and Guinea Company. The land was divided into plantations and sugar cane production became the primary economic activity. As a result, Saint Thomas and neighboring islands of Saint John and Saint Croix became highly dependent on slave labor. In 1685 the Brandenburg American Company took control of the slave trade on Saint Thomas, and for some time the largest slave auctions in the world were held there. Saint Thomas boasted a fine natural harbor, known as "Taphus" for the drinking establishments located nearby. In 1691 the primary settlement there was renamed Charlotte Amalie in honor of the wife of Denmark's King Christian V. It was later declared a free port by King Frederick V. no one cares! File links The following pages link to this file: U.S. Virgin Islands Geography of the U.S. Virgin Islands Categories: CIA World Factbook images ... File links The following pages link to this file: U.S. Virgin Islands Geography of the U.S. Virgin Islands Categories: CIA World Factbook images ... Events September 2 - Great Fire of London: A large fire breaks out in London in the house of Charles IIs baker on Pudding Lane near London Bridge. ... Events England, France, Munster and Cologne invade the United Provinces, therefore this name is know as ´het rampjaar´ (the disaster year) in the Netherlands. ... A plantation is an intentional planting of a crop, on a larger scale, usually for uses other than cereal production or pasture. ... Species Ref: ITIS 42058 as of 2004-05-05 Sugarcane is one of six species of a tall tropical southeast Asian grass (Family Poaceae) having stout fibrous jointed stalks whose sap at one time was the primary source of sugar. ... Saint John is the smallest of the three main United States Virgin Islands (USVI), a United States territory. ... Saint Croix from space, January 1993 Saint Croix is one of the United States Virgin Islands, a United States territory, in the Caribbean. ... The Buxton Memorial Fountain, celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834, London. ... Events February 6 - James Stuart, Duke of York becomes King James II of England and Ireland and King James VII of Scotland. ... A harbor (AmE), harbour (CwE) or haven is a place where ships may shelter from the weather or are stored. ... Events March 5 - French troops under Marshal Louis-Francois de Boufflers besiege the Spanish-held town of Mons March 20 - Leislers Rebellion - New governor arrives in New York - Jacob Leisler surrenders after standoff of several hours March 29 - Siege of Mons ends to the city’s surrender May 6... Charlotte Amalie is the capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands, a territory of the United States of America. ... Christian V Christian V (April 15, 1646 - August 25, 1699), was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670-1699. ... A free port (porto franco) or free zone (US: Foreign-Trade Zone) is a port or area with relaxed jurisdiction with respect to the country of location. ... Frederick V, painting by Carl Gustaf Pilo Statue of Frederick V in the center of Amalienborg by Jacques François Joseph Saly Frederick V (March 31, 1723 - January 13, 1766) was king of Denmark and Norway from 1746, son of Christian VI of Denmark and Sophie Magdelena, Markgravin of Brandenburg...

While the sugar trade had brought prosperity to the island's free citizens, by the early 19th century Saint Thomas was in decline. The continued export of sugar was threatened by hurricanes, drought, and American competition. In 1848, slavery was abolished and the resulting rise in labour costs further weakened the position of Saint Thomas' sugar producers. Given its harbors and fortifications, Saint Thomas still retained a strategic importance, and thus in the 1860s the United States government considered buying the island and its neighbors from Denmark for $7.5 million, but failed to find domestic legislative support for the bid. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

"Beautiful Harbor of St. Thomas, West Indies", stereoptical view, c. 1900

St. Thomas street sign letting drivers know that they are supposed to drive on the left hand side of the road, even though they are using US-spec left hand drive vehicles.

Download high resolution version (1338x668, 410 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1338x668, 410 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Stereoscopy, stereoscopic imaging or 3-D (three-dimensional) imaging is any technique capable of recording three-dimensional visual information or creating the illusion of depth in an image. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 635 KB) Summary This is a photo of a street sign taken just outside the Marriott Frenchmans Reef hotel on St. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 635 KB) Summary This is a photo of a street sign taken just outside the Marriott Frenchmans Reef hotel on St. ... This article concerns rules of the road regarding land vehicles; for sea-going vehicles, see International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. ...

American Acquisition

In 1917 St. Thomas was purchased (along with Saint John and Saint Croix) by the United States for $25 million, as part of a defensive strategy to maintain control over the Caribbean and the Panama Canal during the First World War. U.S. citizenship was granted to the residents in 1927. The U.S. Department of the Interior took over administrative duties in 1931. American forces were based on the island during the Second World War. In 1954, passage of the U.S. Virgin Islands Organic Act officially granted territorial status to the three islands, and allowed for the formation of a local senate with politics dominated by the American Republican and Democratic parties. Full home rule was achieved in 1970. 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... A canal tug making its way down to the Caribbean end of the canal waits to be joined by a ship in the uppermost chamber of the Gatun Locks. ... Combatants Entente Powers Central Powers Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties > 5 million military deaths > 3 million military deaths {{{notes}}} World War I, also known as the First World War and (before 1939) the Great War, the War of the Nations, War to End All Wars, was a world... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is a Cabinet department of the United States government that manages and conserves most federally-owned land. ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties 17 million military deaths 7 million military deaths {{{notes}}} World War II, also known as the Second World War (sometimes WW2 or WWII or World War Two), was a mid-20th century conflict that engulfed much of the... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In the history of the United States, an organized territory is a territory for which the United States Congress has enacted an Organic Act. ... The Republican Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States, the other being the Democratic Party. ... It has been suggested that Democratic presidents be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Devolved government be merged into this article or section. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ...

The post-war era also saw the rise of tourism on the island. With relatively cheap air travel and the American embargo on Cuba, the numbers of visitors greatly increased. Despite natural disasters such as Hurricane Hugo (1989) and Hurricanes Luis and Marilyn (1995), the island's infrastructure continues to improve as the flow of visitors continues. This article is about the economic term. ... Hurricane Hugo was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that struck Puerto Rico, St. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Duration: Aug. ... Hurricane Marilyn was the thirteenth named storm of the unusually busy 1995 Atlantic hurricane season, following closely on the heels of Hurricane Luis. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Transportation

The island is serviced by Cyril E. King Airport. Like Great Britain, cars travel on the left side of the road. However, unlike Great Britain, the steering column is located on the left side of the vehicle. Cyril E. King Airport is on the island of St. ...

External links

• "US Virgin Islands" at Lonely Planet
• "St. Thomas Newspaper"

See also

• Danish West Indies
• Danish colonization of the Americas

The Danish West Indies (DWI, Dansk Vest Indien) are a former colony of Denmark in the Caribbean, now known as the U.S. Virgin Islands. ... Denmark had a colonial empire from the 18th century until the 20th. ...

	Territory of the Virgin Islands of the United States   Geography | Economy | Demographics | Communications | Transportation Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States_Virgin_Islands. ... Population: 120,917 (July 2000 est. ... Telephones - main lines in use: 58,000 (1999) Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,000 (1992) Telephone system: domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 107,000 (2003...
Government:	Politics | Governors | Congressional Delegates | Senators | Elections Country name: conventional long form: Virgin Islands of the United States conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies Data code: VQ Dependency status: organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs... List of U.S. Virgin Islands Governors 1917 - 1917 Edwin Taylor Pollock 1917 - 1919 James Harrison Oliver 1919 - 1921 Joseph Wallace Oman 1921 - 1922 Sumner Ely Wetmore Kittelle 1922 - 1923 Henry Hughes Hough 1923 - 1925 Philip Williams 1925 - 1927 Martin Edwin Trench 1927 - 1931 Waldo A. Evans 1931 - 1935 Paul... Delegates of the U.S. Virgin Islands to the U.S. Congress Categories: U.S. Virgin Islands ... 26th Legislature of the U.S. Virgin Islands (2005-2006) Senator At-Large (Saint John) Craig W. Barshinger (Democratic Party) Saint Croix Senators Norman Jn Baptiste (Senate Vice President) Pedro Pete Encarnacion (Democratic Party) Neville James (Democratic Party) Terrence Positive Nelson (ICM) Usie Raymond Richards (ICM) Ronald E. Russell (Democratic... Elections in the U.S. Virgin Islands gives information on election and election results in the U.S. Virgin Islands. ...
Capital:	Charlotte Amalie Charlotte Amalie is the capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands, a territory of the United States of America. ...
Small Cities:	Charlotte Amalie | Christiansted | Frederiksted | Cruz Bay Charlotte Amalie is the capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands, a territory of the United States of America. ... Christiansted is a town on St. ... Frederiksted is a town on the west end of the U.S. Virgin Island of St. ... Cruz Bay is a town on the west coast of St. ...
Islands:	Saint Croix | Saint John | Saint Thomas | Water Island | Other Saint Croix from space, January 1993 Saint Croix is one of the United States Virgin Islands, a United States territory, in the Caribbean. ... Saint John is the smallest of the three main United States Virgin Islands (USVI), a United States territory. ... Water Island is the fourth and most recent main island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, a United States territory located in the Caribbean Sea. ... The United States Virgin Islands is a group of islands in the Caribbean. ...