Roughly the history of Margarita can be divided in four sections precolombian or prior to the arrival of the Europeans the colony or the three centuries of spanish dominatión the Indepence with the one and a half century from the emncipationis struggle to the installation of the free port and at last the current blooming of Margarita to tourism.

PRE COLOMBIAN: A descendat of Caribe and Arawak Indians the Cuaiqueri tribe inhabited the island they called Paraguachoa or place surrounded by abundant fishing.good fishermen and navigators crafts men and traders they used to pacifically rove the lesser antilles and the coast of the mainland from the Orinoco delta to the Maracibo lake trading salt and fish for pigments leather meat and fabrics they were friendly and hospitable but hefty and pround of keeping their home land and traditions for they fought bravely to defend themselves a gainst occasional attacks other aggre ssive tribes.

THE COLONY: It has been conmonly accepted that in August 1498 during his third voyage to the west indies admiral columbud ships encountered Margarita Island one of his liente nants Alonso de Ojeda, disembarked and established friendly contacts with the residents who according to an old legend believed that the arrival of their brothers the sons of the sun would mean the formation of a graet power full empire the pale spaniards, dressed with shining attires breastplates and helmets had to be the long awaited sun sons so they welcomed them with great hospitality. Without reserves they showed the rich oysterbeds in the waters of the neighboring cubagua Island where pearls were found by tons from then indian were decimated and forced to dive day and nigth in prarse of the oysters wich meant luicefull profits for the crown of spain turning Margarita into a Treasure as pearts were used as the firts mon tary unif of Venezuela.

THE INDEPENDENCE: As time went by some wealthy descendants of the spanissh colonits were able to send their children to study in Eorope, where they started to leran about humanism and the Illustration that derived in the American and french Revolutions and the declaration of Citizen rights Impulsea in the beginning by Francisco de Miranda a hero of Napoleon’s Army the independetist wave covers Venezuela and Margaritais no exception. Notable Margarita such as Juan Bautista Arismendi Santiago Mariño, Manuel Maneiro and Francisco Esteban Gomez Gained importance in the military political and social fields during the struggle for fredom which lasted 13 years in Venezuela, under the command and inspiration of the liberator Simón Bolívar.

TOURIST MARGARITA: Since the start of industrialization in Venezuela and especially from the discovering of petroleum, many Margaritan were re recruited as wor kers and left the Island, escaping from poverty and drought the national Governmet loking forward to creating job opportuni ties and to promote the development of commercy and tourism grants a special status of duty free port to Margarita and Coche in 1974 by presidential decree this concession gives circumstantial advantages to the area for the founding of a base for economic and social progress for the margaritan people para doxi cally the same heat and drought taht forced the mogration of locals years ago are now the reasons for the Island being demanded as travel destination of the weather with the traditional kindwss, hospitality, industry ability for trade and navigation of the locals conforma suitable environment for the attraction of tourist flows. I his demand has produced the construction of hotels resorts and con dominiums mostly surroun ding Porlamar which became the commercial Capital of the Islad later Margarita starts to gain acceptance by northamerican and European travellers permanent tourist currents that demand new and diverse investments such as beach hotels golf coursese yacht clubs malls and conventin centers as well as nighflife entertainment gastronomy and service this is todays Margarita.