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Jan 1, 1492
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus arrived. An estimated 30,000 Lucayan inhabited the Bahamas at the time. -
Settling English Colonists
English colonists from Bermuda settled on the island of Eleuthera. This was after the islands were mostly deserted for 135 years -
Population
American Loyalists escaped the American Revolution.The White Bahamian population are mainly the descendants of the English Puritans looking to flee religious persecution in England. -
King Charles II
King Charles II granted the islands to the Lords Proprietors of the Carolinas in North America. They rented the islands from the king with rights of trading, tax, appointing governors, and administering the country. -
Pirates
During proprietary rule, the Bahamas became a haven for pirates, including the infamous Blackbeard -
British Crown Colony
The Bahamas became a British Crown colony. This occurred when the British clamped down on piracy. -
Nassau
Following the British defeat at Yorktown, a Spanish fleet appeared off the coast of Nassau. The city surrendered without a fight. Spain returned possession of the Bahamas to Britain the following year, under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, but it was recaptured soon after. -
Sports
Horse racing started. The most popular spectator sports are those imported from United States, such as basketball, American football and baseball rather than Great Britain due to the country's close proximity to the United States. -
Slavery Abolished
Slavery in the Bahamas was abolished.Today the descendants of slaves and free Africans make up nearly 90% of the population. -
An Independent Commonwealth Realm
The Bahamas became an independent Commonwealth realm, retaining Queen Elizabeth II as its monarch. In terms of gross domestic product per capita, the Bahamas is one of the richest countries in the Americas , with an economy based on tourism and finance.
