The Bright Land

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The history of what became known as the West Indies is discussed, especially in relation to its present in a newly formed Federation as part of the British Commonwealth. The earliest conquerors representing many different European nations saw in the islands of the Caribbean the most valuable prizes in exploration, they who brought with them African laborers. Agriculture, especially the growing of sugar cane, has been the mainstay of the West Indian economy since those times. But a new economy has emerged, not only expanding the range of crops grown, most notably coffee, but diversification into lucrative resource extraction. In the West Indies being a collection of islands, economic activity centered on the water is a given. The biggest change with a growing population is urbanization and professional jobs tied to the cities. All these changes are centered on the people of the West Indies and their industrious nature. This Federation is managed by a new government, a ceremony overseen by a representative of the head of state, Princess Margaret, and managed by Sir Grantley Adams, the Federation's first Prime Minister.