Editing History of Antigua and Barbuda (section)

=== Political development  ===
[[File:Flag of Antigua and Barbuda (1956–1962).svg|thumb|right|The colonial ensign of Antigua and Barbuda from 1956 to 1962]]

Along with most colonies of the [[British Empire]], all slaves in Antigua were [[Slavery Abolition Act 1833|emancipated]] in 1833, but remained economically dependent upon the island's white [[Planter class|plantation owners]]. Economic opportunities for the freed population were limited by a lack of surplus farming land, no access to credit and an economy built on agriculture rather than manufacturing. Poor labour conditions persisted until 1939 when a member of a British Crown commission urged the formation of a trade union movement.<ref name="Leonard2005"/><ref name="gold mine">{{Cite book |last1=Berleant-Schiller |first1=Riva |title=Antigua and Barbuda |series=World Bibliographical Series |last2=Lowes |first2=Susan |last3=Benjamin |first3=Milton |publisher=Clio press |date=1995 |isbn=1-8510-9228-5}}</ref>

The [[Antigua Trades and Labour Union]], formed shortly afterward, became the political vehicle for [[Vere Bird|Sir Vere Cornwall Bird]], who became the union's president in 1943.<ref name="gold mine"/> The [[Antigua Labour Party]] (ALP), formed by Bird and other trade unionists, first ran candidates in the [[1946 Antiguan general election|1946 elections]] and became the majority party [[1951 Antiguan general election|in 1951]], beginning a long history of electoral victories.<ref name="dictionary">{{Cite book |last1=Gunson |first1=Phil |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qF4OAAAAQAAJ |title=The Dictionary of Contemporary Politics of Central America and the Caribbean |last2=Chamberlain |first2=Greg |last3=Thompson |first3=Andrew |publisher=Routledge |date=1991 |isbn=0-4150-2445-5 |page=40}}</ref><ref name="europa">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4WoTSOaHOj0C |title=The Europa World Year Book 2004 |publisher=Taylor and Francis |date=2004 |isbn=1-8574-3254-1 |page=513}}</ref> Voted out of office in the [[1971 Antiguan general election|1971 general elections]] that swept the progressive labour movement into power, Bird and the ALP returned to office in 1976.<ref name="DN">{{Cite book |last=Nohlen |first=D. |date=2005 |title=Elections in the Americas: A data handbook |volume=I |page=66 |publisher=OUP Oxford |isbn=978-0-1992-8357-6}}</ref>

Until 1958, Antigua and Barbuda were part of the [[British Leeward Islands]]. From 1958 to 1962, Antigua and Barbuda were part of the [[West Indies Federation]].