History and Politics

Some people might say the Bahamas has been passed around like a hot potato and I might agree. Throughout history there has been many changes, so let's dive in!

It all starts in October of 1492 when Christopher Columbus made his first discovery within the New World on a southeastern island that he renamed to San Salvador Island. Imagine being one of the 40,000 native Lucayan people who called the island Guanahani. Lucayans were easy targets for enslavement due to their peaceful nature and within 25 years they were all wiped out which is why we now know the island as the Bahamas. Columbus’ discovery ignited diseases, slavery, hardship and European expansion into the Americas. This led several colonizers to come in before becoming a crown colony that the British Empire ruled. “First, the island was ruled by Spain, though the Spanish made little attempt to populate it. They did, however, take the Lucayans to Hispaniola and Cuba as slaves.” 

Eleuthera, Bahamas

Now were in 1629, the British have claimed the Bahamas but don’t settle until 1648. “English and Bermudan religious refugees, the Eleuthera Adventurers, establish the first European settlement on the Bahamas.” They created a community in Eleuthera. In 1666, New providence was settled, and colonization began. 

Did you know there were pirates in the Bahamas? In the late 1600s through early 1700s, there was a Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean. Since the Bahamas waters were fit for large ships, there were many pirates there including the infamous Blackbeard. Eventually, Woodes Rogers reestablished stability and rid the island of pirates resulting in the Bahamas becoming a crown colony in 1718. 

Bahamas Pirate ship

In 1783, “Spain cedes the Bahamas to Britain in accordance with the Treaty of Paris after briefly occupying the islands the previous year.” Under British rule, the British population increased due to loyalists fleeing the American Revolution. In 1834, slavery was abolished, and slaves were emancipated. This caused a downward spiral in the economy and didn’t let up until the Bahamas gained a large earning in tourism, restoring the economy after World War II.  

Bahamas flag

The VCL states, “The United Kingdom would hold The Islands until June of 1973 when the British House of Lords voted to grant the Bahamas its formal independence. The nation joined the Commonwealth of Nations on the same day.” This means the Bahamas is now an independent island! After 325 years of British rule, the Bahamas became a free and sovereign country and will celebrate July 10th as Bahamian Independence Day forever. 

“Bahamas.” The Virtual Caribbean Library, ggccaribbean.wpengine.com/listing/bahamas/.

“Discover Eleuthera Island with Flights to North Eleuthera.” Bahamas Air Tours, 16 Dec. 2019, www.bahamasairtours.com/flights-to-north-eleuthera-bahamas/.

“George Town Exuma - Bahamas Independence Day.” Peace and Plenty, 23 Oct. 2019, www.peaceandplenty.com/independence-day-george-town-exuma/.

“Pirates of the Bahamas: Bahamas Travel, Bahamas Honeymoon, Bahamas Cruise.” Pinterest, www.pinterest.com/pin/119767671311269118/.

“Timeline: Bahamas.” BBC News, BBC, 9 May 2012, news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1166350.stm.