Antigua and Barbuda are small islands off the coast of Venezuela in the Caribbean sea. Antigua was colonized in 1632 by the British and remained in their possession till 1981.  In Antigua, the British Royal Navy became the headquarters for the Caribbean fleet. The islands were known for slavery, and sugar cane was the leading economy. British colonists brought enslaved Africans to Antigua because many natives succumbed to diseases the white population brought over, but enslaved Africans were more resilient to those sicknesses. By the mid-1770s, an estimated 37,500 enslaved people were in Antigua, and that number exponentially grew. There were two significant slave rebellions in 1834-35, and eventually, British colonies liberated most of their slaves, but those who were free still struggled to find opportunities. Instead of buying their land, they worked as poorly paid laborers on plantations. In 1807 Britain finally abolished the slave trade, and in...

This is where Harris Bigg-Wither lived and where he proposed to Jane Austen in the winter of 1802. Jane became a great friend of Catherine Bigg and was a frequent visitor at the Manydown estate until she withdrew her marriage acceptance in December 1802. 

Manydown was an important, respected, and socially connected estate during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This lifestyle is greatly reflected within Austen's works and the Manydown estate is likely a source of material for many of her story settings.

("Manydown Park." Parks and Gardens, www.parksandgardens.org/places/
     manydown-park. Accessed 14 Nov. 2022.)