09/07/2021
Did you know:
500 AD - 800 AD, THE BAHAMAS WAS SETTLED BY THE LUCAYANS AN ARAWAKAN-SPEAKING TAINO PEOPLE WHO CAME FROM OTHER ISLANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN. THEIR ANCESTORS CAME FROM THE NORTHEASTERN COAST OF MAINLAND SOUTH AMERICA.
1492, 12th October, RECORDED HISTORY BEGAN WHEN CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS MADE LAND FALL ON GUANAHANI, RENAMED SAN SALVADOR, THE BAHAMAS (BAJA MAR). THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION OF 40,000 LUCAYAN TAINOS WERE DECIMATED BY NEW DISEASES LIKE SMALLPOX. ALSO, THE SPANISH SHIPPED THEM OFF IN SLAVERY TO HISPANIOLA.
1494, 7th June, THE TREATY OF TORDESILLAS THEORETICALLY DIVIDED THE NEW TERRITORIES BETWEEN THE KINGDOM OF CASTILE AND THE KINGDOM OF PORTUGAL, PLACING THE BAHAMAS IN THE SPANISH SPHERE; HOWEVER THEY DID NOTHING TO PRESS THEIR CLAIM ON THE GROUND.
THE SPANISH NEVER COLONIZED THE BAHAMAS SO THE ISLANDS REMAINED DESERTED FOR 156 YEARS.
1665 & 1625, THE FRENCH SETTLED IN ABACO.
1648, ENGLISH COLONISTS FROM BERMUDA SETTLED THE ISLAND OF ELEUTHERA.
CUPID’S CAY, ELEUTHERA BECAME THE FIRST CAPITAL OF THE BAHAMAS AND LATER THE CAPITAL WAS MOVED TO GOVERNORS HARBOUR.
1670, CHARLES TOWN (NASSAU) WAS ESTABLISHED.
1684, 19th January, CHARLES TOWN WAS BURNT TO THE GROUND DURING THE RAID ON CHARLES TOWN BY THE SPANISH. THE GOVERNOR WAS CARRIED OFF IN CHAINS, TORTURED TO DEATH AND ROASTED ON A SPIT. HIS JUDGEMENT WAS APPROVED BY THE INQUISITION. THE SPANISH THEN SAILED OVER TO ELEUTHERA AND DID THE SAME THING. THEY SLAUGHTERED ABOUT 100 OF THE INHABITANTS AND 80 TO 100 WERE TAKEN TO CUBA.
1686, NASSAU REMAIN DEVOID UNTIL A SMALL CONTINGENT FROM JAMAICA LED BY PREACHER, THOMAS BRIDGES REOCCUPIED NEW PROVIDENCE.
1695, CHARLES TOWN WAS REBUILT AND RENAMED NASSAU.
PIRATE HENRY EVERY ARRIVED IN NASSAU WITH A VAST HOARD OF TREASURE WORTH £600,000 OR £60, MILLION IN TODAY’S MONEY AND BRIBED THE COLONY’S CASH STRAPPED GOVERNOR, NICHOLAS TROYT TO LET HIM IN AND TURN A BLIND EYE TO HIS ACTIVITIES.
1703, OCTOBER, SPANISH AND FRENCH ALLIED FORCES OCCUPIED AND PLUNDERED THE CITY OF NASSAU AND DESTROYED IT.
1706 - 1718, THE BAHAMAS BECAME THE REPUBLIC OF PIRATES, A LOOSE CONFEDERACY RUN BY PRIVATEERS TURNED PIRATES, HEADQUARTERED IN NASSAU, NEW PROVINDENCE, BAHAMAS. NASSAU BECAME THE PIRATE CAPITAL OF THE CARIBBEAN WITH OVER 1,000 PIRATES LIVING THERE. THIS INCLUDED THE LIKES OF THE FLYING GANG, BLACKBEARD, STEDE BONNET, NICHOLAS BROWN, ANNE BONNY, MARY READ, CHARLES VANE, CALICO JACK RACKHAM AND EDMOND CONDENT TO NAME A FEW.
1717, KING GEORGE APPOINTED ROGERS GOVERNOR OF THE BAHAMAS AND ISSUED A PROCLAMATION GRANTING A PARDON TO ANY PIRATE WHO SURRENDERED IN ONE YEAR.
1718, JULY, WOODES ROGERS ARRIVED IN NASSAU AS GOVERNOR WITH HIS OWN 460-TON WAR SHIP, THREE SHIPS BELONGING TO HIS COMPANY, AND AN ES**RT OF THREE SHIPS OF THE ROYAL NAVY.
1718, THE BAHAMAS BECAME A BRITISH COLONY WHEN THE BRITISH CLAMPED DOWN ON PIRACY.
THE BRITISH GRANTED CROWN LAND TO THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN LOYALISTS WHO CAME WITH THEIR SLAVES AFTER THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR. THESE LOYALISTS ESTABLISHED PLANTATIONS.
1720, THE SPANISH ATTACKED NASSAU.
1776, THE BATTLE OF NASSAU RESULTED IN A BRIEF OCCUPATION BY AMERICAN CONTINENTAL MARINES. THE MARINES STAGED THEIR FIRST AMPHIBIOUS RAID ON FORT MONTAGUE.
1778 AMERICAN RAIDERS LED BY CAPTAIN RATHBURN, INVADED NASSAU AND STAYED FOR JUST TWO WEEKS.
1782, DURING THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE THE BAHAMAS FELL TO SPANISH FORCES (5,000) UNDER GENERAL GALVEZ WHEN GOVERNOR DON JUAN de CAGIGAL WAS GOVERNOR GENERAL OF CUBA. THIS WAS SPAIN’S LAST OCCUPATION.
1783, APRIL NASSAU WAS CAPTURED FROM THE SPANISH BY THE AMERICANS DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR WHEN AN EXPEDITION LED BY ANDREW DEVEAUX TOOK NASSAU WITHOUT A SHOT BEING FIRED.
1807, THE SLAVE TRADE WAS ABOLISHED BY THE BRITISH.
1820s, FOLLOWING THE ADAMS-ONIS TREATY CEDING FLORIDA FROM SPAIN TO THE UNITED STATES, HUNDREDS OF AFRICAN SLAVES AND BLACK SEMINOLES ESCAPED FROM FLORIDA AND SETTLED IN ANDROS.
1833, THREE HUNDRED ESCAPED IN MASS FLIGHT.
1834, 1st August, SLAVERY IN THE BAHAMAS WAS ABOLISHED.
1911, THERE WAS A SHORT LIVED MOVEMENT TO MAKE THE BAHAMAS A PART OF CANADA. THE MOVEMENT WAS SUPPORTED BY SUN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MOVEMENT FAILED BECAUSE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS OPPOSED TO UNITING A PREDOMINANTLY BLACK COLONY WITH A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE COUNTRY.
THE BAHAMAS WAS ONCE OWNED/SETTLED BY THE SPANISH, DUTCH, FRENCH, AMERICANS AND BRITISH.
Have a Tremendous Tuesday.
There are 2 Days to The Bahamas Independence Holiday.
I have learned that CHARLES TOWN NAMED IN 1666 in HONOR OF KING CHARLES II, ON SALYE ISLAND WAS ESTABLISHED AS A COMMERCIAL PORT IN 1670.
SAYLE ISLAND (NEW PROVIDENCE) WAS FIRST SETTLED IN 1664 AND RENAMED PROVIDENCE BY A GOVERNOR AFTER A SHIP WRECK. “NEW” WAS LATER ADDED TO DISTINGUISH IT FROM OLD PROVIDENCE IN BRITISH HONDURAS NOW BELIZE.
CHARLES TOWN (NASSAU) WAS A LAWLESS TOWN AND IT WAS THE HOME OF PIRATES BLACKBEARD, CALICO JACK RACKHAM, EDWARD TEACH (BLACKBEARD), BENJAMIN HORNIGOLD, THOMAS BARROW, CHARLES VANE AND FEMALE PIRATES ANNE BONNY AND MARY READ.
CHARLES TOWN WAS BURNT TO THE GROUND ON 15th NOVEMBER 1684 BY THE SPANISH FROM HAVANA. THIS FOLLOWED IT BEING LAID WASTE ON 19th JANUARY 1684 BY THE SPANISH.
CHARLES TOWN WAS LAID OUT AND REBUILT AS NASSAU IN 1695 BY LORD PROPRIETOR IN HONOUR OF KING WILLIAM III OF ENGLAND FROM THE DUTCH HOUSE OF ORANGE- NASSAU.
IN 1670, THE BAHAMAS WAS GRANTED TO THE LORD PROPRIETORS OF THE CAROLINAS BY KING CHARLES II. RENTING THE ISLANDS FROM THE KING, ALLOWED THEM TRADING, TAX, APPOINTMENT OF GOVERNORS AND ADMINISTRATION RIGHTS.
IN 1710, THERE WERE OVER 1,000 PIRATES IN NASSAU WITH LESS THAN 200 LOCALS. FOR ABOUT 11 YEARS FROM 1706 UNTIL 1718, NASSAU WAS DECLARED “THE REPUBLIC OF PIRATES” RUN BY A LOOSE CONFEDERACY OF PRIVATEERS. THOMAS BARROW DECLARED HIMSELF AS GOVERNOR Of NEW PROVIDENCE.
Have a Fantastic Friday.
There is just 1 Day to The Bahamas 48 Birthday.
