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Exuma history - learn what once happend
The History of the island of Exuma, Bahamas is full of events that still remain an important part of the Island culture today. Little is known about pre-Columbian times, but it is widely accepted that Exuma, like other Bahamian Islands, was settled by peaceful Lucayan Indians who had migrated northward to escape conflict with the more warlike Caribs. And while the name Exuma is believed to have its origins in some Indian name, its precise derivation has never been established. The coming of the Spanish, in the wake of Columbus's voyages, brought the first convulsive change to Exuma and the islands of the area. Virtually all the Lucayan Indians were captured, enslaved and put to work in the fields and mines of Spanish-held territory in Hispaniola arid Central and South America. The Bahama Islands were then left empty and ignored unfit about 1648, when Englishmen - calling themselves the Eleutheran Adventurers - settled the northern part of the island now called Eleuthera. While the British settlements expanded in subsequent years to include New Providence and Harbour Island, most of the other Out Islands remained virtually uninhabited until late in the 1700's. On Exuma there was some salt raking activity near Ocean Bight and at the three salt ponds in Little Exuma. During most of the 18th century the islands of the Bahamas, lying astride Spanish sailing routes from the Caribbean, were contested by the British and Spanish - a matter unresolved until the Treaty of Versailles in 1783. In this pact, England gained uncontested rights to the Bahamas while ceding the peninsula of Florida to Spain. Coincidentally with the decline of the cotton estates, the abolition movement was gaining momentum and strength in England. This led to the fourth major event that would influence Exuma's future: the emancipation of the slaves. Finally, in Exuma's fifth major milestone the Bahamas became an independent nation in 1973, casting off its last colonial links with Great Britain. This transition from colonial status to independence was achieved peacefully and smoothly, much to the credit of its citizens, the Bahamas is now a democracy in its own right with free elections and a free press and with Exuma playing a significant role as one of tile major Family Islands.
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Exuma Vacations site
Our company is running one of the largest pc and mobile travel website networks, covering top hotel, vacation package, airline ticket, beach, cruise, all inclusive and honeymoon destinations worldwide.
We will also run a travel blog portal which centralises the blogs posted by our visitors on all of our websites and which represents one of the world's best travel information resources, totally build by people such as yourself.
In the link section, you can check more links to our travel website network as well as to other third party specialized websites as lastminute.com or orbitz.com which we suggest you to visit if are you planning a trip to Exuma Bahamas.
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