What is the history of Montserrat?

History of Montserrat. The original Native American inhabitants of Montserrat began to arrive in the Lesser Antilles about 3000 bce. Carib Indians, who arrived later, are said to have named the island Alliouagana (“Land of the Prickly Bush”). Columbus named the island for the abbey of Montserrat in Spain.

What happened in Montserrat?

In July 1995, Montserrat’s Soufrière Hills volcano, dormant for centuries, erupted and soon buried the island’s capital, Plymouth, in more than 12 metres (39 ft) of mud, destroyed its airport and docking facilities, and rendered the southern part of the island, now termed the exclusion zone, uninhabitable and not safe …

How did Montserrat get its name?

They gave the island its indigenous name, Alliouagana, which means “land of prickly bush” (named for the vegetation along the coast). 1493 — On November 11 Christopher Columbus sighted Montserrat and gave the island its present name because it reminded him of a mountain monastery in Spain.

Who discovered Montserrat?

Christopher Columbus
Sighted and named by Christopher Columbus in 1493, Montserrat is a rich admixture of African, North American, and European influences. Its physical and human landscapes have been battered but not obliterated by the series of natural disasters that beset the island. Area 40 square miles (103 square km).