Transfer To American Rule
Before World War I, the United States wanted to buy the islands due to fear that if Denmark were conquered by Germany, Germany would attempt to take over Denmark's overseas dependencies. In 1917, a treaty was concluded in which the United States purchased the islands for $25,000,000 (about $390,000,000 in 2010 dollars). After the United States bought what is now known as the United States Virgin Islands from the Danish, the islands became an unincorporated U.S. territory. Most residents were granted U.S. citizenship in 1927, and an act of 1932 provided that all natives of the Virgin Islands who on the date of the act were residing in the continental United States or any of its insular possessions or territories were U.S. citizens. The islands remained under the direct control of the U.S. government until 1968, when residents were first allowed to elect their own Governor (previously, governors had been appointed first by the navy, then by the interior department). In 1972, residents elected their first non voting delegate to congress.
Read more about this topic: History Of The United States Virgin Islands
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