Like many of the Caribbean Islands, Grenada was first inhabited by the Native American Arawak tribes who were then driven out by the warring Caribs. Christopher Columbus was the first European to discover the island. He arrived while on his third voyage to the New World in 1498. Columbus called the island ?Concepcion?, but the name didn't stick and it was later called Grenada. It's likely the name came from the Spanish city of Granada.
Due to the violent local Carib natives, the island was not settled for some time after discovery. In 1650, Cardinal Richelieu of the French purchased Grenada from the English and started the first settlement. Later in 1762, the English captured the island back from the French during the Seven Years War. The island then became a British colony.
At first the island was used for sugarcane, but later nutmeg and cacao were introduced and soon became the leading crops. Grenada is still a leading supplier of cacao and nutmeg.
Grenada gained its independence in 1974. It became one of the smallest independent countries it the Western Hemisphere.
In October 1983, Grenada was taken over by a group of Marxist communists. Six days later US forces invaded the islands. The following year, democracy and free elections were re-instituted and continue to this day.
