Putting it Together!! THE FOLLOWING SLIDES SHOWS WHAT YOUR ESSAY SHOULD LOOK LIKE

Introduction This presentation would examine why The Bahamas was suitable for Loyalists settlement and look in detail at the areas in which they first settled. Introductory Sentence ‘ Between 80,000 and 100,000 Loyalists left the United States of America. Some went to Canada and Great Britain, but many came to the West Indies including, Jamaica, Dominica and The Bahamas. The purpose of this Essay is to briefly outline why The Bahamas was suitable for Loyalist settlement.

According to research, the first Loyalist arrived in Nassau in They were very poor and received aid from the British Government. Very few of the refugees could provide for themselves. These Loyalist refugees were divided into three main groups, The Urban or professionals.The second group consists of the planters and their slaves and finally Freed black Loyalist who had obtained their freedom from Great Britain for helping them during the war

Most Loyalist refugees came from St Augustine Florida, New York and the Southern colonies of Georgia and the Carolinas. When they arrived they settled throughout the scattered islands of The Bahamas ( See enclosed map Source A which clearly outlines the major islands settled by the Loyalists.It is believed that most Loyalist arrived in The Bahamas between1783 & 1785.

Islands settled by the Loyalists Major Settlement

While many remained in New Providence many left to settle in the Family Islands, mainly because New Providence was too small and infertile. Some of the islands settled by these Loyalists were Exuma, Eleuthera, Abaco, Long Island, Cat Island, Andros, and Crooked Island & Acklins, San Salvador Ragged island and Rum Cay. The professional loyalist settled mainly of the islands of New Providence, Eleuthera and Abaco whereas the Farmers along with their slaves settled on the remaining islands where there was a large supply of land

Paragraph 3 According to Gail Saunders, one of the first islands to be settled was the island of Abaco. As suggested by Mrs Saunders “one of the first references to a Loyalist settlement was in March of 1784 when the governor of The Bahamas, John Maxwell, wrote to the Secretary of Sate stating that a number of refugees New York and St Augustine have repaired to several of the principal islands and settled themselves on one of them namely Abaco.”( Bahamian Loyalists & Their Slaves Page 9

Chris Curry & Neil Sealy, authors of Social Studies for Bahamian Secondary School Book 2,suggests that there were numerous reasons why The Bahamas was an ideal location for loyalists settlement. However four of the major reasons may include the following, Proximity to Florida and the American Colonies, The Bahamas still remaining a British colony, The Loyalists were banished from their homes especially those who migrated to St Augustine Florida and finally It had a suitable climate and Good Soil

Click on the slide to take you to the various reasons why The Bahamas was ideal for Loyalists settlement Proximity a British colony Banished from their home Large supply of land Good Climate & Soil

. Close Proximity Firstly Close proximity to Florida and the other American colonies meant that moving to The Bahamas would not involved a lengthy voyage as compared to migrating to Jamaica or Canada especially for those living in Florida and the Southern Colonies of the Carolinas and Georgia.

. Suitable climate and Good Soil Secondly, Suitable climate and Good Soil meant that the islands of the Bahamas was ideal for farming., which was of great importance especially for those loyalist who were plantation owners back in their home land. Thus many of them would be able to grow cotton as some of them had done at home.

British Control Another reason was that the Bahamas was still under British control and therefore the Loyalist would be protected under the British flag as British subject and would not have to be afraid of being banished again. It also meant that they would be living in a safer environment where they can earned a living without the fear of being persecuted as they were back in their home in the American Colonies.

Large supply of Land However as suggested by Chris Curry and Neil Sealy one of the most biggest incentives for attracting the Loyalists to the Bahamas, was the offer of free land in the Family islands which was provided to each Loyalist family willing to risk migrating to The Bahamas. Research also stated that “Sir Guy Charlton, commander of the British forces in North America had recommended the Bahamas as having great potential for cotton plantation. This led to the Royal instructions granted on September of 1783 “ To every head of a family, forty acres, and every white or black man, woman, or child in a family, twenty acres, at an annual rent of 2 shillings per hundred acres. But in the case of the Loyalists refugees from the continent, such lands are to be delivered free of charge

Banished or Evicted from their home land Finally, they chose The Bahamas because many of them were banished from their initial home in Florida especially those who migrated to St Augustine Florida as Florida was given back to Spain at the end of the war and many of them left because they feared the Spaniards.

References Bahamian Loyalists & their Slaves Bahamian Loyalists & their Slaves The Internet Google search/ Bahamian HistoryThe Internet Google search/ Bahamian History Bahamian History Book 1& 2Bahamian History Book 1& 2 Bahamian Social Studies for Secondary School bk 2 Bahamian Social Studies for Secondary School bk 2