Anguilla History

History
Anguilla (/ænˈɡwɪlə/ ann-GWIL-ə) is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin. The territory consists of the main island of Anguilla, approximately 16 miles long by 3 miles wide at its widest point, together with a number of much smaller islands and cays with no permanent population but with the main island having a population of approximately 14,764. After British colonization in 1650, the territory was administered as part of the Leeward Islands. From 1825 it became more closely associated with St Kitts and ultimately incorporated in the colony of St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla. Opposition to this association grew and in 1967 the island seceded unilaterally. Following direct intervention by the United Kingdom in 1969 Anguilla became a separate dependency of Britain in 1980. 

Timeline
1631 - 1633 The Dutch West India Company established a fort on the island 1650 - Anguilla was first colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts 1967 - Anguillian Revolution The island briefly operated as the independent "Republic of Anguilla" 1969 - Anguillian Revolution The island briefly operated as the independent "Republic of Anguilla" 1971 - British authority was fully restored 1980 - Anguilla was finally allowed to secede from Saint Kitts and Nevis and become a separate British Crown colony which is now a British overseas territory