The history of Nevis can be dated as far back as the 1490's, when Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Caribbean sighted the island with its mountain capped with mist and clouds and named it, "Nuestro Senora de las Nieves" which means "Our lady of the Snows". The Caribs, one of the first set of Amerindian groups to inhabit Nevis, named the island "Oualie"- land of beautiful water. By right of discovery, Spain laid claim to the island, but was more interested in the Greater Antilles. Therefore the English, French and Dutch saw this as an opportunity to try to claim the island. Over the next century the power over the island passed between England and France. Then in 1628, the island was colonized by Thomas Warner, native of Britain, who later appointed Captain Anthony Hilton as the first governor of Nevis.
The Introduction of sugar cane to the Caribbean had a greater effect on the history of Nevis than any other factor. Nevis was transformed from a peasantry to a plantocracy, however, the labour-intensive crop created a dire need for cheap labour, hence this fostered the West Indian Slave trade. It was then that Nevis first became a well known Financial Services Centre as the island was a market for selling slaves to neighbouring islands. During the 1700's and early 1800's, a rich economy developed, great houses were built and the planter class lived in splendor. Nevis soon became known as "The Sugar Cane Colony".
Nevis not only generated revenue from sugar cane cultivation, but also embarked in the tourism industry. One of the earliest ventures in tourism was the Bath Hotel, built in 1778. Situated adjacent to natural hot springs, the hotel attracted European travelers for many years. The Bath Hotel along with the booming sugar industry helped to maintain Nevis's economy until the middle of the nineteenth century when the British Parliament passed the Emancipation Law to free all slaves. On 1st August 1834 all slaves in Nevis were granted emancipation. Today, the first Monday in August is still being celebrated as Emancipation Day. Nevis underwent many changes during the next century. The Federal Colony of the Leeward Isles was constituted in 1871, with Nevis being a member until 1882 when it ceased to be a single unit with its own legislature and was united with its sister island St. Kitts.
Nevis continued to be part of the British colonial holdings until 1967 when it achieved Associated Statehood. On September 19, 1983, Nevis along with its sister island St. Kitts reached full independence as a Federated State.
