History History

The first settlements in the present-day Bahamas archipelago date back to the turn of the 10th century with the Lucayan Indians, who arrived during several waves of immigration. Coming from the Caribbean islands to the south of the archipelago, they fled the Lesser Antilles and the threat of the Caribbean Indians. Even today, little is known about the original inhabitants of the archipelago: none of these ethnic groups left a written record of their civilization. The only evidence of their culture are fragments of pottery, drawings and other stone or bone tools unearthed by recent archaeological research.

After thirty-three days of uncertain navigation, Christopher Columbus set foot on the archipelago on October 12, 1492 during the first of his four voyages of discovery of the Indies. He first discovered Guanahani, to the east of the archipelago, which he named San Salvador; then Santa Maria de la Concepcion, now Crooked Island; Fernandina, now Long Island; and finally Isabela, now known as Long Cay. The archipelago surprised the Grand Admiral by the shallowness of its waters; it was therefore named "Las Islas de Baja Mar", literally "the islands of the low sea", and quickly became "Bahamas".

This base will serve as a platform for the embarkation of thousands of Lucayans, the first modern triad of slaves. At that time, an estimated 40,000 Lucayan Indians lived in the "islands of the lower sea". Colonization was so brutal that no traces or teachings of this pre-Columbian culture could be preserved.

For 25 years, the Lucayans were shipped to the nearby island of Hispaniola, the main Spanish settlement, to serve as labourers in the gold and silver mines. The indigenous population was soon decimated by inhumane working conditions, suicides and diseases transmitted by Europeans against which they were not immune. In less than thirty years, this ethnic group will disappear completely.

King Charles I of England cedes the islands, along with part of the new North American colonies, to Governor Robert Heath.

At that time, only the islands with water were colonized. The "Eleutheran Adventurers" - "Eleuthera Adventurers" - founded a first settlement on the island of Abaco, then on the island of Cigatoo, which they named Eleuthera, from the Greek word "freedom". These English Puritans were fleeing religious persecution and civil war in England, seeking a safe haven to practice their religion freely.

William Sayle, former governor of Bermuda, arrives on Eleuthera with 80 English Puritans. A year later, they organize the first democracy in the New World and proclaim an independent republic

Foundation of Charles Town, the future Nassau, on the island of New Providence.

Charles II of England, who did not recognize the tiny Republic of Eleuthera, divided the islands among six large Carolina owners.

Supported by the English government, which saw in them a way to harass and fight French and Spanish enemies, privateers carried a letter of marque that guaranteed their status. Until 1701, Nassau was destroyed four times by the Spanish

In 1703, Nassau was again destroyed by the Franco-Spanish fleet in retaliation for the constant attacks and looting by English privateers, who established their Pirate Republic there in 1706. It was not until 1714 and the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht that peace was sealed between the English and the Spanish.

King George II appoints as the first Royal Governor of the Bahamas: Captain Woodes Rogers. Having no more use for it, England ceases its protection against pirates, who become outlaws. The new governor worked to restore order, drive out the pirates, and lay the foundations for a first assembly, which was officially established in 1729

Worthy heirs of pirates and privateers, the Bahamians now, and until the middle of the 19th century, indulged in stranding ships and pillaging shipwrecks

Driven by the Revolution, the pro-English "Loyalists" left the fledgling American nation to remain faithful to the English banner and join the first emigrants.

Exasperated by the repeated looting of their ships, a Franco-Hispanic-American coalition attacks Nassau again; Spain regains possession of the Bahamas.

The Bahamas are officially returned to England by the Treaty of Versailles

After the U.S. War of Independence, more than 8,000 southern emigrants - planters from Carolina - fled America and flocked to the Bahamas, mostly with their slaves. The population of the islands tripled. These new settlers arrived to plant and farm cotton fields, and their skills as farmers and carpenters quickly influenced local life. Unfortunately, their settlement was not as successful as they had hoped because the Bahamian land was relatively poor and unsuitable for cultivation: the plantations were in decline.

England abolishes the slave trade.

Many Loyalists prefer to leave the Bahamas and divide their land among their former slaves. But the local economy is rapidly declining.

The American Civil War led to a real boom in trade with the southern states.

The establishment of a law favouring boat services and hotels marks the beginning of tourism development in the Bahamas.

The American prohibition is a real godsend for the Bahamian economy. It is the return of trafficking and poaching on the islands, a new era of piracy.

After the end of Prohibition in 1934, the collapse of the sponge fishing industry marked a second fatal blow to the local economy. The fate of the Bahamas then turned to the tourism industry. Starting in 1940, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, new representatives of the British government on the island, encouraged North American and Canadian tourism.

The Bahamas serves as an air and sea platform for the U.S. military. American and British bases are established on the islands to facilitate foreigners' stays

As the islands became richer and a black middle class grew, the PLP (Progressive Liberal Party) was founded in 1953 by Lynden Pindling. Faced with the growing "threat" of losing political hegemony, the wealthy white minority that dominated the Bahamian Parliament in the early 1950s responded by founding the United Bahamian Party (UBP) in 1958. Its most emblematic leader is Roland Symonette.

Establishment of the ENB, the Bahamas National Trust, with for the development and management of the Bahamas National Park System.

The Bahamas will be able to take advantage of the 1959 Cuban revolution that drove American tourists away from the neighbouring island, now communist. Capitalizing on its proximity to the United States, the archipelago decided on a vast program of tourist developments as early as 1961; a new international airport was built on the site of the American base of Nassau; the port of Nassau was also developed to accommodate up to six cruise ships, a bridge linking Nassau to Paradise Island was erected, new hotels were built, the town of Freeport on Grand Bahama Island came out of the ground, and major communication campaigns were conducted ..

Universal suffrage is conceded; Bahamian women are also eligible to vote.

General strike supported by the PLP. Elections bring to the post of Prime Minister the white Bahamian Roland Symonette, leader of the UBP.

Great Britain granted internal autonomy to the Bahamas after a series of complex constitutional and political processes.

"Black Tuesday." Opposition leader Lynden Pindling calls for power from the people.

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) won the election, and its leader was appointed Prime Minister, a position Pindling would hold for 25 years.

The Bahamas becomes an independent member of the Commonwealth of Nations, ending 325 years of British rule. A new constitution is adopted, giving the Bahamas full autonomy and clearly establishing the role of Great Britain. The British monarch is recognized as the official sovereign and head of state and appoints the first Governor General in the person of Sir Milo Butler.

The Bahamian flag, composed of three horizontal stripes (two ultramarine blue for the sea, one yellow for the sun) and an equilateral black triangle to symbolize the population of the islands, is raised for the first time. The archipelago's coat of arms represents a blue marlin, a conch, a pink flamingo and Christopher Columbus's caravel Santa Maria under a sparkling sun. The national motto is "Forward, upward, onward, together". Finally, the national bird is the pink flamingo and the national flower is the yellow elder, a delicate yellow flower of the hibiscus family.

Establishment of the Central Bank of the Bahamas.

Creation of the "People-to-People" programme, allowing visitors to live their travel experience alongside the locals.

With the help of the Americans, the Bahamian government is putting a stop to drug trafficking through the islands after the scandalous revelation of the corruption of prominent government officials by Colombian drug cartels. Pindling, who was knighted by the queen in 1983, remained in power until 1992, but unemployment and corruption undermined his authority and ended his 25 years of "rule".

The Bahamas prohibits fishing on coral reefs.

The new government is increasing public confidence in the Authority and the financial sector. The FNM, which was responsible for an ambitious privatization plan, will be re-elected in 1997.

Creation of the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF), whose purpose is to protect the waters of the archipelago.

Creation of the 21 district local governments.

Opening of the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort, built by South African businessman Sol Kerzner.

The election brought Perry Christie to power and his Progressive Liberal Opposition Party (PLP).

Hubert Ingraham became Prime Minister again after the victory of his party, the Free National Movement (FNM), in the legislative elections.

The Bahamas ratifies the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

Amendment of the Fisheries Act, providing full protection for all sea turtles by prohibiting, inter alia, the harvesting, possession, purchase and sale of their eggs.

Shark fishing is prohibited in the Bahamas; the ban also applies in its territorial waters (630,000 km²).

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham inaugurates the Nassau National Stadium, designed and financed by China and built by Chinese workers - a project strongly denounced by the opposition at a time when the country is experiencing an unemployment rate close to 14%.

Former Prime Minister Perry Christie (2002-2007) led the main opposition party (PLP) to victory in the national elections.

Last legislative elections: the FNM wins and Hubert Minnis becomes Prime Minister.

His Excellency Sir Cornelius Smith has been appointed the 10th Governor General of the Bahamas, succeeding Dame Marguerite Pindling, who took office in 2014.

Hurricane Dorian hits the Abacos and Grand Bahama Island. With winds of up to 364 km/h, it was the strongest hurricane the country has ever seen.

Adoption of zero plastic and zero polystyrene measurements throughout the archipelago.

Last legislative elections: the PLP, Liberal Progressive Party, wins the legislative elections and Philip Davis becomes Prime Minister.

Removal of the health passport that was mandatory to enter the Bahamas since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.