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What is the purpose of the US Virgin Islands?

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What is the purpose of the US Virgin Islands?

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The purpose of buying these islands was to improve their military status during World War 1, but is not anymore.

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Early Inhabitants

The first residents of the present United States Virgin Islands (USVI) were the Ciboney, Caribs, and Arawaks. In 1493, Christopher Columbus visited these islands. He had been searching for a route to India and consequently he called the people he encountered Indians. Columbus named the beautiful islands 'The Virgins' in reference to the legendary beauty of St. Ursula and her 11,000 virgins.

The period after Columbus' visit was quiet as far as exploration and colonization is concerned. Explorers as late as 1587 reported evidence of Indian habitation however settlers by 1625 reported not finding Indians. It is believed that Spanish settlers on nearby Puerto Rico raided the islands on a regular basis. Some Indians were forced to work while others fled. Indian groups lived throughout the Caribbean, however European exploration and colonization brought demise to the indigenous groups. They had no immunity to European diseases and were not prepared to deal with the harsh labor they were forced into. Within several decades following colonization of the Caribbean, Indian populations had plummeted. Today they are found on reserved lands on only a few islands. They no longer exist in what is today the USVI.

St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John

In the early 1600s many countries took interest in the Caribbean and in "the Virgins"; Holland, France, England, Spain, Denmark and the Knights of Malta all sought colonies. England and Holland colonized and jointly inhabited St. Croix in the 1620s. The neighboring Spanish on Puerto Rico invaded the small colony; the French then quickly moved in, removing the Spanish and taking over themselves. St. Croix remained a French colony until 1733.

The Danish West India Company first attempted to settle St. Thomas in 1665. They successfully established a settlement on St. Thomas in 1672 consisting of 113 inhabitants. They expanded and settled on St. John in 1694. The Danish had claimed St. John as early as the 1680's, however hostility from the neighboring British on Tortola prevented the Danes from establishing a settlement. The British, in order to maintain hospitable relations with Denmark, eventually ceased their opposition. After the Danes settled St. John plantation agriculture developed rapidly.

The Danish West Indian Company purchased St. Croix from the French in 1733 bringing St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John together as the Danish West Indies.

Slave Trade and Piracy

In 1685, the Danish government signed a treaty with the Dutch of Brandenburg. This treaty allowed the Brandenburg American Company to establish a slave-trading post on St. Thomas. Early governors also approved of St. Thomas becoming a pirates' safe haven. The governors realized an influx of pirates would benefit local merchants. While piracy ceased to be a factor in the island's economy in the early 1800s, the slave trade continued.

In the Danish West Indies slaves labored mainly on sugar plantations. Cotton, indigo and other crops were also grown. Sugar mills and plantations dotted the islands hilly landscapes. Each islands economy prospered through sugar plantations and slave trading. While St. John and St. Croix maintained a plantation economy, St. Thomas developed into a prosperous center of trade. Slave rebellion on St. John and St. Croix are well documented. Legitimate trade and business on St. Thomas influenced a different society where many more slaves were given freedom and an opportunity outside of plantation life.

A July 2, 1848 rebellion on St. Croix, where some 5,000 blacks were free while another 17,000 remained enslaved, prompted liberal governor Peter von Scholten to declare what he had long pressed for, that all unfree in the Danish West Indies were from that day free. While his proclamation was in direct contradiction of the King's orders and while plantation owners refused to accept the proclamation, slavery was abolished on July 3rd, 1848.

Strict labor laws were implemented several times after emancipation and the populous reacted in tense labor riots. Planters began to abandon their estates and the population and economy in the islands declined. The islands and its residents fell on rough times in the late 1800s due to the poor economy and numerous natural disasters.

US Territories

The islands remained under Danish rule until 1917, when the United States purchased them for $25 million in gold in an effort to improve military positioning during critical times of World War I. St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John became the US Virgin Islands.

While conditions improved, change came slowly and frustrations brewed. Residents felt deceived when they were not granted American citizenship immediately following the transfer and disappointment also existed in that the islands were run by Naval administrators and appointed officials.

The Military and the Interior Departments managed the territory until the passage of the Organic Act in 1936. Today the USVI is a U.S. territory, run by an elected governor. The territory is under the jurisdiction of the president of the United States of America and residents are American citizens.

National Park

In 1956 Laurance Rockefeller gave the National Park Service a generous gift of 5,000 acres of land on St. John. This gift along with subsequent additions have increased the holdings. Today almost two thirds of St. John's beautiful forest, shorelines and underwater lands are protected by the Park. Historical and marine treasures on St. Croix including Buck Island are also protected by the Park Service, as are portions of Hassell Island.

Water Island: The 4th Virgin Island

In 1996 Water Island, located in St. Thomas' Charlotte Amalie harbor, was officially returned to the USVI from the Department of the Interior. Today Water Island is the fourth United States Virgin Island.

Tourism

In the mid 1900s the Virgin Islands saw the dawn of new times, more prosperous times. Tourist seeking the the warmth, beauty and relaxation the USVI offers, vacationed in the islands. Hotels, restaurants and shops began popping up on beachfront properties and in main towns. With the rise in business and economy came a rise in the population as immigrants from neighboring islands flocked to the USVI to work. Today the population of the USVI is made up of people from all over the Caribbean. The islands entered the new millennium as one of the premiere destinations for tourist visiting the Caribbean.

More History

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Early Inhabitants The first residents of the present United States Virgin Islands (USVI) were the Ciboney, Caribs, and Arawaks. In 1493, Christopher

# data[].attributes.body
the islands remained under Danish rule until 1917, when the United States purchased them for $25 million in gold in an effort to improve military positioning during critical times of World War I.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Early Inhabitants

The first residents of the present United States Virgin Islands (USVI) were the Ciboney, Caribs, and Arawaks. In 1493, Christopher Columbus visited these islands. He had been searching for a route to India and consequently he called the people he encountered Indians. Columbus named the beautiful islands 'The Virgins' in reference to the legendary beauty of St. Ursula and her 11,000 virgins.

The period after Columbus' visit was quiet as far as exploration and colonization is concerned. Explorers as late as 1587 reported evidence of Indian habitation however settlers by 1625 reported not finding Indians. It is believed that Spanish settlers on nearby Puerto Rico raided the islands on a regular basis. Some Indians were forced to work while others fled. Indian groups lived throughout the Caribbean, however European exploration and colonization brought demise to the indigenous groups. They had no immunity to European diseases and were not prepared to deal with the harsh labor they were forced into. Within several decades following colonization of the Caribbean, Indian populations had plummeted. Today they are found on reserved lands on only a few islands. They no longer exist in what is today the USVI.

St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John

In the early 1600s many countries took interest in the Caribbean and in "the Virgins"; Holland, France, England, Spain, Denmark and the Knights of Malta all sought colonies. England and Holland colonized and jointly inhabited St. Croix in the 1620s. The neighboring Spanish on Puerto Rico invaded the small colony; the French then quickly moved in, removing the Spanish and taking over themselves. St. Croix remained a French colony until 1733.

The Danish West India Company first attempted to settle St. Thomas in 1665. They successfully established a settlement on St. Thomas in 1672 consisting of 113 inhabitants. They expanded and settled on St. John in 1694. The Danish had claimed St. John as early as the 1680's, however hostility from the neighboring British on Tortola prevented the Danes from establishing a settlement. The British, in order to maintain hospitable relations with Denmark, eventually ceased their opposition. After the Danes settled St. John plantation agriculture developed rapidly.

The Danish West Indian Company purchased St. Croix from the French in 1733 bringing St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John together as the Danish West Indies.

Slave Trade and Piracy

In 1685, the Danish government signed a treaty with the Dutch of Brandenburg. This treaty allowed the Brandenburg American Company to establish a slave-trading post on St. Thomas. Early governors also approved of St. Thomas becoming a pirates' safe haven. The governors realized an influx of pirates would benefit local merchants. While piracy ceased to be a factor in the island's economy in the early 1800s, the slave trade continued.

In the Danish West Indies slaves labored mainly on sugar plantations. Cotton, indigo and other crops were also grown. Sugar mills and plantations dotted the islands hilly landscapes. Each islands economy prospered through sugar plantations and slave trading. While St. John and St. Croix maintained a plantation economy, St. Thomas developed into a prosperous center of trade. Slave rebellion on St. John and St. Croix are well documented. Legitimate trade and business on St. Thomas influenced a different society where many more slaves were given freedom and an opportunity outside of plantation life.

A July 2, 1848 rebellion on St. Croix, where some 5,000 blacks were free while another 17,000 remained enslaved, prompted liberal governor Peter von Scholten to declare what he had long pressed for, that all unfree in the Danish West Indies were from that day free. While his proclamation was in direct contradiction of the King's orders and while plantation owners refused to accept the proclamation, slavery was abolished on July 3rd, 1848.

Strict labor laws were implemented several times after emancipation and the populous reacted in tense labor riots. Planters began to abandon their estates and the population and economy in the islands declined. The islands and its residents fell on rough times in the late 1800s due to the poor economy and numerous natural disasters.

US Territories

The islands remained under Danish rule until 1917, when the United States purchased them for $25 million in gold in an effort to improve military positioning during critical times of World War I. St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John became the US Virgin Islands.

While conditions improved, change came slowly and frustrations brewed. Residents felt deceived when they were not granted American citizenship immediately following the transfer and disappointment also existed in that the islands were run by Naval administrators and appointed officials.

The Military and the Interior Departments managed the territory until the passage of the Organic Act in 1936. Today the USVI is a U.S. territory, run by an elected governor. The territory is under the jurisdiction of the president of the United States of America and residents are American citizens.

National Park

In 1956 Laurance Rockefeller gave the National Park Service a generous gift of 5,000 acres of land on St. John. This gift along with subsequent additions have increased the holdings. Today almost two thirds of St. John's beautiful forest, shorelines and underwater lands are protected by the Park. Historical and marine treasures on St. Croix including Buck Island are also protected by the Park Service, as are portions of Hassell Island.

Water Island: The 4th Virgin Island

In 1996 Water Island, located in St. Thomas' Charlotte Amalie harbor, was officially returned to the USVI from the Department of the Interior. Today Water Island is the fourth United States Virgin Island.

Tourism

In the mid 1900s the Virgin Islands saw the dawn of new times, more prosperous times. Tourist seeking the the warmth, beauty and relaxation the USVI offers, vacationed in the islands. Hotels, restaurants and shops began popping up on beachfront properties and in main towns. With the rise in business and economy came a rise in the population as immigrants from neighboring islands flocked to the USVI to work. Today the population of the USVI is made up of people from all over the Caribbean. The islands entered the new millennium as one of the premiere destinations for tourist visiting the Caribbean.

More History

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Early Inhabitants The first residents of the present United States Virgin Islands (USVI) were the Ciboney, Caribs, and Arawaks. In 1493, Christopher

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What is the current economic situation of the country? Population? What kind of government do they have?

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What is the current economic situation of the country? Population? What kind of government do they have?

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The population is 107,268. There executive branch of there government is a governor. There current governor is Kenneth Mapp.

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virgin islands 2018 general election results

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How does the United States control/operate/defend this country today? (Or maybe it doesn’t?)

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How does the United States control/operate/defend this country today? (Or maybe it doesn’t?)

# data[].attributes.body
The Virgin Islands are unincorporated with the United States. However they are still considered US citizens. This Island is mainly used to host tourists and vacationers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Early Inhabitants

The first residents of the present United States Virgin Islands (USVI) were the Ciboney, Caribs, and Arawaks. In 1493, Christopher Columbus visited these islands. He had been searching for a route to India and consequently he called the people he encountered Indians. Columbus named the beautiful islands 'The Virgins' in reference to the legendary beauty of St. Ursula and her 11,000 virgins.

The period after Columbus' visit was quiet as far as exploration and colonization is concerned. Explorers as late as 1587 reported evidence of Indian habitation however settlers by 1625 reported not finding Indians. It is believed that Spanish settlers on nearby Puerto Rico raided the islands on a regular basis. Some Indians were forced to work while others fled. Indian groups lived throughout the Caribbean, however European exploration and colonization brought demise to the indigenous groups. They had no immunity to European diseases and were not prepared to deal with the harsh labor they were forced into. Within several decades following colonization of the Caribbean, Indian populations had plummeted. Today they are found on reserved lands on only a few islands. They no longer exist in what is today the USVI.

St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John

In the early 1600s many countries took interest in the Caribbean and in "the Virgins"; Holland, France, England, Spain, Denmark and the Knights of Malta all sought colonies. England and Holland colonized and jointly inhabited St. Croix in the 1620s. The neighboring Spanish on Puerto Rico invaded the small colony; the French then quickly moved in, removing the Spanish and taking over themselves. St. Croix remained a French colony until 1733.

The Danish West India Company first attempted to settle St. Thomas in 1665. They successfully established a settlement on St. Thomas in 1672 consisting of 113 inhabitants. They expanded and settled on St. John in 1694. The Danish had claimed St. John as early as the 1680's, however hostility from the neighboring British on Tortola prevented the Danes from establishing a settlement. The British, in order to maintain hospitable relations with Denmark, eventually ceased their opposition. After the Danes settled St. John plantation agriculture developed rapidly.

The Danish West Indian Company purchased St. Croix from the French in 1733 bringing St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John together as the Danish West Indies.

Slave Trade and Piracy

In 1685, the Danish government signed a treaty with the Dutch of Brandenburg. This treaty allowed the Brandenburg American Company to establish a slave-trading post on St. Thomas. Early governors also approved of St. Thomas becoming a pirates' safe haven. The governors realized an influx of pirates would benefit local merchants. While piracy ceased to be a factor in the island's economy in the early 1800s, the slave trade continued.

In the Danish West Indies slaves labored mainly on sugar plantations. Cotton, indigo and other crops were also grown. Sugar mills and plantations dotted the islands hilly landscapes. Each islands economy prospered through sugar plantations and slave trading. While St. John and St. Croix maintained a plantation economy, St. Thomas developed into a prosperous center of trade. Slave rebellion on St. John and St. Croix are well documented. Legitimate trade and business on St. Thomas influenced a different society where many more slaves were given freedom and an opportunity outside of plantation life.

A July 2, 1848 rebellion on St. Croix, where some 5,000 blacks were free while another 17,000 remained enslaved, prompted liberal governor Peter von Scholten to declare what he had long pressed for, that all unfree in the Danish West Indies were from that day free. While his proclamation was in direct contradiction of the King's orders and while plantation owners refused to accept the proclamation, slavery was abolished on July 3rd, 1848.

Strict labor laws were implemented several times after emancipation and the populous reacted in tense labor riots. Planters began to abandon their estates and the population and economy in the islands declined. The islands and its residents fell on rough times in the late 1800s due to the poor economy and numerous natural disasters.

US Territories

The islands remained under Danish rule until 1917, when the United States purchased them for $25 million in gold in an effort to improve military positioning during critical times of World War I. St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John became the US Virgin Islands.

While conditions improved, change came slowly and frustrations brewed. Residents felt deceived when they were not granted American citizenship immediately following the transfer and disappointment also existed in that the islands were run by Naval administrators and appointed officials.

The Military and the Interior Departments managed the territory until the passage of the Organic Act in 1936. Today the USVI is a U.S. territory, run by an elected governor. The territory is under the jurisdiction of the president of the United States of America and residents are American citizens.

National Park

In 1956 Laurance Rockefeller gave the National Park Service a generous gift of 5,000 acres of land on St. John. This gift along with subsequent additions have increased the holdings. Today almost two thirds of St. John's beautiful forest, shorelines and underwater lands are protected by the Park. Historical and marine treasures on St. Croix including Buck Island are also protected by the Park Service, as are portions of Hassell Island.

Water Island: The 4th Virgin Island

In 1996 Water Island, located in St. Thomas' Charlotte Amalie harbor, was officially returned to the USVI from the Department of the Interior. Today Water Island is the fourth United States Virgin Island.

Tourism

In the mid 1900s the Virgin Islands saw the dawn of new times, more prosperous times. Tourist seeking the the warmth, beauty and relaxation the USVI offers, vacationed in the islands. Hotels, restaurants and shops began popping up on beachfront properties and in main towns. With the rise in business and economy came a rise in the population as immigrants from neighboring islands flocked to the USVI to work. Today the population of the USVI is made up of people from all over the Caribbean. The islands entered the new millennium as one of the premiere destinations for tourist visiting the Caribbean.

More History

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Early Inhabitants The first residents of the present United States Virgin Islands (USVI) were the Ciboney, Caribs, and Arawaks. In 1493, Christopher

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In the US Virgin islands they are predominantly Christian.  The infant mortality rate is low, and the life expectancy for males are 70s and for females are 80s. Since the islands are tropical it attracts people for scenery, fishing, coral reefs, and many other attractions.

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United States Virgin Islands, also called U.S. Virgin Islands, organized unincorporated island territory of the United States, situated at the eastern end of the Greater Antilles, about 40 miles (64 km) east of Puerto Rico, in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The territory is geographically part of the Virgin Islands group, which also contains its near neighbour, the British Virgin Islands.

The territory is composed of three large islands- St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas-and about 50 small islets and cays. The capital is Charlotte Amalie, on St. Thomas.

For information about regional aspects of the United States Virgin Islands, see Virgin Islands.

Land

Geologically, with the British Virgin Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands are an extension of the central fault-block mountain ranges of Puerto Rico and are thus part of the Greater Antilles. They are composed of metamorphosed igneous and sedimentary rocks overlain in parts by limestone and alluvium, and they rise off the continental shelf to maximum heights of 1,556 feet (474 metres) at Crown Mountain on St. Thomas, 1,277 feet (389 metres) at Bordeaux Mountain on St. John, and 1,088 feet (332 metres) at Mount Eagle on St. Croix-the largest of the islands, with an area of 84 square miles (218 square km). St. Thomas and St. John are very rugged, but St. Croix's mountains are confined to the north, with a large rolling-to-level plain opening to the south. All the islands are surrounded by fringing coral reefs, and ancient elevated reefs ring the main islands.

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The climate is pleasant, with temperatures at St. Thomas averaging a maximum of about 82 °F (28 °C) during the day in January and 88 °F (31 °C) in July and being tempered throughout the year by northeasterly trade winds. Nighttime minimum temperatures are about 11 °F (6 °C) cooler, and the relative humidity is low for the tropics. Rainfall averages some 45 inches (1,100 mm) annually, with a marked rainy season from September to December. Droughts occur periodically, and hurricanes may strike the islands on rare occasions. Early plantation clearance destroyed the islands' tropical forest, which is now found only in a few places on St. Thomas and has elsewhere been replaced by secondary woodland and scrub. Island fauna is sparse, save for birds, but the surrounding seas abound in commercial and game species.

People

About three-fourths of the population is black, and between one-tenth and one-fifth is white. English is the official language, but some French is spoken on St. Thomas, and Spanish is spoken on St. Croix among Puerto Rican immigrants.

The population is predominantly Christian; Protestants constitute about half and Roman Catholics more than one-fourth of those professing a religion. The population increased rapidly in the mid- to late 20th century, primarily because of substantial immigration from the U.S. mainland, the eastern Caribbean, and Puerto Rico.

The infant mortality rate is relatively low for the region, and life expectancy-in years, in the mid-70s for males and the low 80s for females-is about average. Charlotte Amalie, the largest settlement, is the only town with a population of more than 10,000.

Economy

The U.S. Virgin Islands economy is based primarily on tourism and other services. The leading sectors in employment are government service; trade, encompassing personal, business, and domestic services including tourism; manufacturing; and finance, real estate, and insurance.

About one-fifth of the total land area is farmland, most of it on St. Croix. In the late 20th century agricultural production underwent a transition from the traditional reliance on sugarcane to more-diversified crops. Fruits (especially mangoes, bananas, papayas, and avocados) and vegetables (notably tomatoes and cucumbers) are the main crops grown. Cattle (ranched on St. Croix), goats, sheep, and pigs are the main livestock. St. Croix produces milk sufficient for island needs. The government has built dams on St. Croix and St. Thomas to improve farmers' water supply. Only 6 percent of the land is forested, but the government has planted large areas of St. Croix with mahogany and has reforested parts of St. Thomas. A bay forest on St. John supplies leaves for the bay rum industry. Fishing is restricted to supplying local needs and to sportfishing.

The islands have few domestic energy sources and thus have long relied on imported petroleum products to supply most of their needs, especially for electric power generation. To mitigate that problem, the territory made efforts to convert its generators to permit them to utilize propane as well as fuel oils, to increase energy efficiency in the islands, and to develop renewable energy sources. Solar energy plays a small but growing role in the territory's energy production.

Rum distilling was traditionally the islands' primary industry, but manufacturing eventually diversified to include petroleum refining, watch assembly, and the manufacture of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and clothing. Petroleum refining ceased in 2012 with the closure of the HOVENSA plant on St. Croix after more than four decades in operation. The plant had been one of the world's largest such facilities and had produced most of the islands' fuel supply. The impact of its closure on the economy included substantial losses of jobs and revenue as well as the loss of its petroleum products. The U.S. government encourages industry by allowing certain manufactures to enter the United States duty-free, and the local government has offered tax incentives.

The adverse effects of the HOVENSA closure extended to the islands' imports and exports. Before the loss of the refinery, the primary import was crude petroleum (primarily from Venezuela) and the main export was refined petroleum (shipped mainly to the United States). Exports totaled more than four-fifths of imports in value annually. After the closure of the refinery, exports contracted sharply, although losses were later offset by growth in the tourist sector. Other than petroleum, exports include rum, clothing, and watches, and the main imports are foodstuffs and manufactured goods. The major trade partners are China, the United States, and a number of countries of the European Union.

Tourism, based on the pleasant tropical climate, attractive scenery, good fishing, proximity to the U.S. mainland, and free-port status, dominates the economy. Virgin Islands National Park, covering some three-fifths of St. John, and Buck Island Reef National Monument, which includes all of the islet of Buck Island and the waters and coral reef surrounding it, are other major attractions. Souvenir and handicraft industries have developed for the tourist market.

The islands' extensive road network is mostly paved. St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas all have scheduled bus service. Charlotte Amalie, on St. Thomas, and Frederiksted and Limetree Bay, on St. Croix, are deepwater ports. A container port on the southern coast of St. Croix handles most of the islands' cargo traffic. There is ferry service between the three main islands and to the British Virgin Islands. There are two international airports, on St. Thomas and on St. Croix. Interisland seaplanes serve the islands and Puerto Rico, the British Virgin Islands, and Saint Martin.

United States Virgin Islands

Island territory, West Indies

National anthem of the United States Virgin Islands

Official name

United States Virgin Islands

Political status

organized unincorporated territory of the United States with one legislative house (Legislature [15])

Head of state

President of the United States: Joe Biden

Head of government

Governor: Albert Bryan, Jr.

Capital

Charlotte Amalie

Official language

English

Official religion

none

Monetary unit

U.S. dollar (U.S.$)

Currency Exchange Rate

1 US dollar equals 0.838 Euro

Population

(2020 est.) 94,600

Population rank

(2019) 199

Population projection 2030

88,700

Total area (sq mi)

135

Total area (sq km)

350

Density: persons per sq mi

(2020) 700.7

Density: persons per sq km

(2020) 270.3

Urban-rural population

Urban: (2018) 95.7%

Rural: (2018) 4.3%

Life expectancy at birth

Male: (2019) 78 years

Female: (2019) 83.1 years

GNI (U.S.$ '000,000)

(2015) 3,765

GNI per capita (U.S.$)

(2015) 34,955

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United States Virgin Islands | History, Geography, & Maps

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History and geography of the United States Virgin Islands, organized unincorporated island territory of the United States, situated at the eastern end of the Greater Antilles, about 40 miles east of Puerto Rico, in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The territory is geographically part of the Virgin Islands group.

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Was their opposition to U.S. control from the native inhabitants or otherwise?

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Was their opposition to U.S. control from the native inhabitants or otherwise?

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there wasn't any real rebellion by the natives because the land was already occupied by europeans

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U.S. Took Ownership of the Virgin Islands

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Denmark's policy during the American Revolution was not to take sides. However, special interests in both Denmark and the West Indies often caused that policy to be violated. According to a 1988 report by the Department of the Interior, there was also at least one incident of smuggling on the islands during the Revolution.

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They are located in the caribbean. The Virgin Islands are divided between the United States and the United Kingdom, so you have the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) and the British Virgin Islands (BVI).

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The United States bought the Virgin Islands from Denmark on March 31, 1917. They bought it for 25 million dollars.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
U.S. Took Ownership of the Virgin Islands

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When Christopher Columbus landed on St. Croix in 1493, the native Carib Indians occupied the islands. Sadly, by the time Europeans began to settle there in the 1600s, most of the native population had died from diseases introduced by early explorers.