Short answers, pulled from the story.
Carbon dating has established that the earliest settlements in Antigua and Barbuda started around 3100 BC. Hunter-gatherers arrived on canoes from Central and South America to inhabit these islands.
The Ciboney were the first culture present in Antigua and Barbuda. They were succeeded by the ceramic age pre-Columbian Arawak-speaking Saladoid people who migrated from the lower Orinoco River.
Antigua and Barbuda gained full independence on the 1st of November 1981. Vere Bird became prime minister of the new country which opted to remain within the Commonwealth retaining Elizabeth II as head of state.
Most of Barbuda was devastated in early September 2017 by Hurricane Irma which brought winds with speeds reaching 295 km/h (185 mph). The storm damaged or destroyed 95% of the island's buildings and infrastructure.
Antigua and Barbuda enacted policies to attract high-net-worth citizens such as abolishing personal income tax in 2016. Major international financial institutions like the Royal Bank of Canada maintain offices in Antigua following this policy change.