114. U.S. Virgin Islands: Pirates, Rum, and a Steep Price Tag with Sharon McMahon

Here's Where It Gets Interesting

Sharon McMahon

Government, History, Storytelling, Education

4.9 • 15.1K Ratings

🗓️ 8 April 2022

⏱️ 24 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In today’s solo episode, Sharon continues to talk about the territories of the U.S., this time focusing on the U.S. Virgin Islands. USVI spent many centuries as a colony of Denmark and a hot spot in the European trade routes. What prompted the U.S. to become interested in the acquisition of the islands? Sharon shares the reason… and the high price tag! You’ll also hear some fun facts about the islands, including the history of its famous rum and where you can find some of the best bioluminescent bays in the world.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello friends, welcome.
0:02.6	Always delighted to have you along with me and we have been talking recently about the
0:08.3	history of the territories that belong to the United States.
0:11.6	How did they get to be a territory?
0:14.0	That's what some of the people want to know.
0:15.3	Like how did that?
0:16.3	How why is that a thing?
0:17.9	Why isn't it a state?
0:19.3	And today we're going to talk about the US Virgin Islands.
0:23.5	So let's dive in.
0:25.2	I'm Sharon McMan.
0:27.0	And welcome to the Sharon Sesso podcast.
0:31.2	All right, raise your hand if you're a Hamilton fan.
0:34.8	Of course, Hamilton opens with Alexander Hamilton talking about his childhood on St.
0:43.0	Croix, right?
0:45.2	Talking about how he was a young boy, his mother gets sick and his mother ends up dying
0:52.4	but he survives and that he worked his way up as a clerk in businesses, trading sugar
0:59.5	cane and rum and all the things you can't afford.
1:02.5	That was on the island of St. Croix, which is now part of the US Virgin Islands.
1:08.9	So of course, Hamilton is very, very, very bright, hardworking, young man to determine, to
1:14.4	improve his lot in life and his employers recognized his potential and they actually took up
1:18.8	a collection.
	...

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