| When people think about the history of the | | | | lure in ships just so that they would sink |
| Bahamas, they think of Christopher Columbus | | | | and the treasure would be raided. Nassau was |
| landing there and claiming it for Spain in | | | | run by pirates for almost 40 years. They |
| the late 1400s. This is entirely true. But | | | | love to raid the Spanish galleons. It had |
| the Bahamas also had an ancient civilization | | | | gotten so bad that Spanish troops destroyed |
| that dates back as early as 300-400 AD, which | | | | Nassau in hopes of ending the piracy in 1695. |
| may have come from Cuba and counted on the | | | | It didn't work, after a couple of years it |
| ocean for their food. This has been | | | | was rebuilt. It was the pirates and |
| discovered by recent archaeological digs on | | | | privateers goal to make it the privateering |
| the islands. Later an advanced civilization | | | | capitol, but because the pirates kept raiding |
| for their time settled on the Bahama Islands. | | | | the French and Spanish ships the two navies |
| They were the Lucayan Indians. In the 10th | | | | collaborated and wiped out Nassau for a |
| century the Lucayans left their home in the | | | | second time in 1703. However, the pirates |
| Lesser Antilles to escape their enemies. The | | | | were like a bad penny. They kept turning up. |
| Carib Indians were fierce warriors and were | | | | It was too easy for them to loot passing |
| also cannibals but the Lucayans were peaceful | | | | cargo ships and it wasn't long before Nassau |
| people and were farmers. Lucayans were very | | | | was again rebuilt.In 1718 the King of |
| advanced in politics and religion. They used | | | | England, tired of complaints of piracy, |
| tools and lived in thatched homes. The | | | | appointed Woodes Rogers as Royal Governor of |
| Lucayans were a thriving colony of 40,000 | | | | the islands and asked him to restore order. |
| when Christopher Columbus landed. It was | | | | He offered amnesty to those who surrendered. |
| then decided that these gentle people would | | | | The ones who didn't would be sentenced to |
| be enslaved to work in mines and it only took | | | | death. There was a very brief battle with |
| 25 years for the entire Lucayan people to be | | | | his four battleships and about 300 pirates |
| wiped out completely. The tribe suffered | | | | gave in and the rest fled.After more than 100 |
| from foreign diseases, slavery and | | | | years, a fresh stream of colonists arrived |
| hardship.Eleutheran Adventurers helped give | | | | from America. With them they brought skills |
| the island its name: Eleuthera. Eleutheran | | | | for farming and shipbuilding. They also |
| Adventurers were a group of English Puritans | | | | brought their slaves. In 1783 the people, |
| seeking religious freedom. What they found | | | | along with South Carolina militia, forced |
| was hardship and the fact that they were not | | | | Spanish troops back without a single shot |
| prepared to survive successfully on the | | | | being fired. This in turned gave them their |
| island. They later separated into other | | | | independence.During the U.S. Civil War there |
| communities at what now are Governor's | | | | was another boost in economy. The British |
| Harbour and Preacher's Cave. After their | | | | favored the south because it needed the |
| leader Captain William Sayles returned from | | | | cotton for their textile industry. However |
| the American colonies with supplies they were | | | | it couldn't get through the port because of |
| better able to defend their outpost from the | | | | the Union blockade. Then came the blockade |
| Spanish.The Bahamas continues with their | | | | runners. With their fast ships they would |
| exciting history. After a while the pirates | | | | take the southern cotton and meet up with |
| came along. This was called the Age of | | | | British ship and trade goods. They in turn |
| Piracy. It was during the late 1600s to | | | | would return to the U.S. and sell their goods |
| early 1700s. Lots of famous pirates that | | | | for huge profits. After the war though the |
| just about everyone has heard of used the | | | | economy sank again.Then came 1919 when the |
| Bahamas to live, store or bury their "booty" | | | | U.S. passed the 14th amendment prohibiting |
| or treasure. Pirates like Blackbeard, Calico | | | | alcohol. That's when smuggling started |
| Jack and Sir Henry Morgan. There were even | | | | happening and again another boost in the |
| two famous women who dressed as men and were | | | | economy. Then prohibition was lifted in 1934 |
| pirates. They were Anne Bonny and Mary Read. | | | | and with that and the collapse of sponge |
| They both sailed under Calico Jack. At the | | | | harvesting, the Bahamas got a double whammy |
| end of the piracy era Mary died in a prison | | | | and the economy plummeted. Things really |
| cell and after Anne gave birth to a son, she | | | | turned around for them when in 1961 Cuba |
| disappeared never to be seen again.Nassau was | | | | closed its doors to the United States. In |
| the perfect place for the pirates and | | | | turn tourism picked up there. Especially |
| privateers to settle. It was a commercial | | | | because they were so close to the U.S. and |
| port been was overran by lawless, pirates and | | | | they had beautiful beaches to offer. Now the |
| privateers. "Wreckers", were also in Nassau. | | | | Bahamas are thriving and they became their |
| Wreckers would build false lighthouses to | | | | own nation on July 10th 1973. |