Bahamas History

The Bahamas were inhabited by Arawak lukayans as far back as the 5th century AD. ^[1] They moved to the archipelago from the Greater Antilles , presumably from Hispaniola or Cuba . Researchers believe that the islands of Inagua and Turks and Caicos were the first to be inhabited. ^[2] Settling these lands, the Lukayans advanced further north, crossing the waters between the islands in shuttles . By the beginning of the 16th century, almost the entire archipelago was inhabited by Indians, whose number was about 40 thousand people. ^[3] The population density was particularly high in the south; this was due to the fact that the northern islands were settled later. The remains of the Lukayan settlements were found on the 19 largest islands, as well as on several small patches of land with an area of ​​1 square kilometer. It is known that by the time Columbus arrived, the population was declining in the south and increasing in the north; this was due to the dry climate in the southern islands. ^[four]

In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed from Spain with the ships Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria in the hope of finding a new sea route to Asia. October 12, 1492 Columbus reached the Bahamas; this event marked the beginning of the "discovery" of America. The first island Columbus visited, locals called Guanahani ; the Spaniards called it San Salvador (although it is believed that the Spaniards reached one of the neighboring islands). Columbus declared this land the property of the Spanish crown. ^[1] All the islands that Columbus reached before sailing to Cuba were also declared part of Spain. ^[five]

The Bahamas initially interested the Spaniards only as a source of free labor. For 30 years, almost the entire population of the islands was exported to Haiti for work in mines and pearl mining. ^[6] For 130 years, the islands were uninhabited, ^[3] although the Spaniards held their nominal claims to the archipelago until the Versailles Agreement of 1783. ^{[7] [8]}

In 1648, a group of Puritans from Bermuda , led by William Sale, headed to the Bahamas with the goal of establishing a colony, since Bermuda was already densely populated; the migrants also hoped to find a place where they would be able to freely express their republican views and run their own households. However, near Eluthera, two ships were wrecked, and the settlers had to stay here, with virtually no livelihood. Despite the fact that soon more immigrants arrived here, assistance was given to Virginia and New England , the colonists had a very difficult time due to the poverty of local soils. In addition, they had a conflict with the Spaniards, who considered themselves masters of the Bahamas. In the 1650s, some migrants had to return to Bermuda. The rest settled on the island of Harbor north of Eluthera. In the 1670s, only 20 families lived here. ^[9]

In 1666, new settlers from Bermuda founded a city on the island of New Providence , which with a population of 500 people became the center of trade in the Bahamas. Unlike farming residents in Eluthera, the people of New Providence lived largely on fisheries. Soon on the island discovered plots of fertile land. In 1670, Carolina authorities attempted to take control of New Providence, but failed. ^[ten]

At the turn of the 17-18 centuries, the population of the Bahamas was rich; This was largely due to the fact that the sea route passed from Europe to the Caribbean through the archipelago. ^[eleven]

At the same time, a conflict arose between the Bahamas and Spain, as many residents of the islands were robbing and robbing the shipwrecked ships, of which there were a huge number of offshore Bahamas. In 1684, the Spaniards destroyed the settlements on Eleuthera and New Providence, which were abandoned. But in 1686, a settlement on New Providence was restored by Jamaican colonists.

In the 1690s, privateers based in the English service established their base on the archipelago (England was at war with France). In 1696, the ship of Henry Avery arrived at Nassau's harbor. After the peace with France (1697), many privateers left the service and became free pirates. But in 1701, the war resumed, and the combined Franco-Spanish flotillas destroyed the pirate fortresses in the Bahamas. ^[12]

Soon after, power on the islands was again seized by privateers, who declared war on all French and Spanish ships passing near the Bahamas. In response, the flotilla of powers attacked the stronghold of privateers - Nassau. In 1714, the War of Spanish Succession ended, but privateers continued to attack Spanish ships. At this time, their number in the Bahamas exceeded 1000 people. The Bahamas became a "pirate republic." About 20 pirate teams settled here, including the Blackbeard squad. Part of the civilian population left New Providence for Eleuthera or South Abaco . In the era of pirate freemen, merchants earned huge profits by selling robbers provisions and weapons. ^[13]

The end of the "pirate republic" came in 1718, when the royal governor Rogers reached Nassau with a military flotilla. His decree was issued, according to which any pirate who surrendered to the authorities during the year was forgiven. ^[14]

This appeal affected the pirates differently. Many of them left the robbery. Others were Jacobites - opponents of the king from the Hanover dynasty . Still others simply did not want to give up their favorite business, believing that they would not be able to earn a living by honest labor. Ultimately, most pirates continued to engage in robbery. ^[15]

Some pirates (Jennings, Winter) surrendered to the authorities, while others (Blackbeard, Bonnet) sailed to other lands. Some pirates ( Charles Wayne , Jack Rackham ) called for the help of the Old Challenger , but under the pressure of the royal fleet they had to leave the Bahamas. ^[16] Soon, almost all of them were captured or killed. ^[17] About 500 pirates received a pardon. ^[18] Charles Wayne would be executed in 1721. ^[nineteen]

In 1719, hostilities between Britain and Spain resumed; many pirates became privateers. The Spanish fleet, aimed at the Bahamas, reversed course to retake Pensacola from France. Rogers at this time strengthened the defense of Nassau, which helped him repel the attack of the Spaniards in 1720. However, his situation was fragile: in 1722 he was imprisoned for debt, but then released. Rogers died in Nassau in 1732. ^[20]

In the years 1758-1770, the governor of the Bahamas was William Shirley , the former governor of Massachusetts .

During the War of Independence, the Bahamas were captured by the Spaniards. Later, the British recaptured the islands, and a flood of immigrants from the United States, who consider themselves subjects of the English king, poured here. ^[3] Over the course of several years, the population increased 3 times. In 1807, after the abolition of slavery, many former slaves moved here.

During the American Civil War, the Bahamas became the main supplier of raw materials and weapons for the southerners.

After the World War, the Bahamas became the base of bootleggers smuggling alcohol into the United States. In the years 1930–40, a racist concept was established here, according to which the white race had superiority over the Negroid and Americanoid , which was typical for the states of this region.

On July 10, 1973, the country gained independence ^[1] and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations . Pindling, the leader of the liberals, became the first prime minister. For 20 years, his presence at the post of the Bahamas flourished as a center of tourism. In 1974, friendly relations were established with Cuba .

• Albury, Paul. (1975) The History of the Bahamas. MacMillan Caribbean. ISBN 0-333-17131-4
• Carr, J. Revell. (2008) Seeds of Discontent: The Deep Roots of the American Revolution of 1659-1750. Walker & Company. ISBN 978-0-8027-1512-8
• Craton, Michael. (1986) The History of the Bahamas. San Salvador Press. ISBN 0-9692568-0-9
• Granberry, Julius and Gary S. Vescelius. (2004) Languages ​​of Pre-Columbian Antilles. The University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0-8173-5123-X
• Johnson, Howard. (1996) Bahamas: from enslavement to slavery, 1783-1933. University Press of Florida. ISBN 0-8130-1858-7
• Keegan, William F. (1992) People Discovered by Columbus: Background to the Bahamas. University Press of Florida. ISBN 0-8130-1137-X
• Woodard, Colin. (2007) The Republic of Pirates. Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 978-0-15-603462-3
• State Dept Country Study - Information on the history of the Bahamas.
• History of The Bahamas - An essay on the history of pre-Columbian Central America.
• Rulers.org - Bahamas List of Bahamas rulers.

• Bahamas

• Bahamas // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : 86 tons (82 tons and 4 extra). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
• Bahamian Historical Community .
• History of the Bahamas .