War & Paradise: The Territories Of The U.S.

The American Virgin Islands

Sadly, during the colonial period, many of the natives of the Virgin Islands died due to foreign disease, mass extermination, and enslavement by European colonists. The colonists adopted slavery to manage the sugar and tobacco plantations, and the descendants of the slaves make up the majority of the population today.

Between 1916-1917 the U.S. purchased the islands from Denmark, which were known as the Danish West Indies. The U.S. paid $25 million in gold for Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas, located east of the main island of Puerto Rico.The beautiful islands depend on tourism and agriculture for their economy, and the largest employer is the government.