Page 41 - The British Big Four

History of the Bahamas Islands

There is only an 8 °C difference between the ous and plentiful, with an estimated population
warmest month and coolest month in most of around 40,000 by the late 15th century. Most
of the Bahama Islands. Like most tropical climates, historians believe they developed an advanced

seasonal rainfall follows the sun, and summer is political and social structure and lived in well-

the wettest season. The Bahamas are often sunny organized cities. But shortly after Christopher

and dry for long periods of time, and average Columbus arrived in 1492, they were rapidly ex-

more than 3.000 hours of sunlight annually. Tropi- terminated by the Spanish, and as a result, little is

cal storms and hurricanes, including major hurri- known about them.

canes, can and do impact the Bahamas. In 1992,

IHurricane Andrew passed over the northern por- t was the famous Italian explorer, Christopher

tions of the islands, and Hurricane Floyd passed Columbus, in an expedition backed by the King
near the eastern portions of the islands in 1999. Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, who first

From tribal Indians to pirates, from explorers to set foot on the Island of Guanahani–or San Salva-
slave traders, the Bahamas are steeped in cen- dor as it is known today–one of the 700 plus is-
lands that make up the archipelago, known today

turies of rich and fascinating history. The Siboney as the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The date

Indians, the first known residents of the Bahamas, was October 12th, 1492. The Spaniards named

survived here about 7,000 years ago on conch these islands the Bajar Mar, or shallow seas. When

and fishing. Sometime after the Siboneys disap- Columbus “discovered” the Bahamas, he sailed

peared, the Arawak Indians, also called Lucayans, through the narrow Crooked Island Passage

migrated to the islands from the Amazon region down the leeward side of the islands.

of South America. The Lucayans were prosper-