History

In 1492 Christopher Cs made his first lg in the New World in the Bs, at Watling's Island (Amerindian: Guanahani; Columbus's designation: San Salvador). A few ys later the Carib ints, some 40,000 Lucayans, were tred to Hispaniola where they died wong in Spanish mies. From the 17th cy the islands beme a British posion and African slave laur was broght in. An early form of deic government, with a bicameral pant and elected loer house, developed but was abolished 1717. Although the other coial powers did not formally dispute posion, the settlers were at times harsed by the Fh and Sh as wel1 as by pirtes. The population soared in the late 18 century with the arrival America of Loyalist familles and their slaves, as permanent settlers ar the American Revolution. In 1783-4 the poon was 4,058; by 1789, it was over 11,000.

Fortunes fluctuated. In 1861-5 the isds enjoyed py as a depot for ships rung the blockade agst the Confederate States dg the North An civil wr. Recession followed, hoer, compounded by a sere hurricane 1866. There was prosperity again in next century when islands became entrepot for the American bootlegging trade dg prohibition. More conventional indies also deed, supplying sisal, conch shlls for cameo brooch-making, pinles and sponges. The se industry reached peak in 1901 during generally lean ys but collapsed 1939 as result fungal diseases. the early 1950s prosperity returned the success of tourism, and later ofore banking, produced phenomenal grth.


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Source: Copyright © The Commonwealth Yearbook 1996
Many thanks to Mr Peter Emmett (peter.emmett@hcooke.co.uk) for allowing us to use excerpts from the Commonwealth Yearbook.
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