Bahamas, Turks, and Caicos Islands: Difference between revisions

The English had already shown an interest in the Bahamas in 1629. It was not until 1648, however, that the first English settlers came to the islands. These settlers, known as the Eleutherian Explorers and led by William Sayle, moved into the islands, pursuing greater religious freedom. These settlers established the first settlement on the island they named 'Eleuthera'. Eventually, these settlers moved into New Providence and called it Sayle's Island after their leader. However, settlement in the islands soon proved to be hard, and the settlers had to rely on salvaged goods from wrecks to survive. Although many new settlers had arrived on the island throughout the mid-1600s, a lot of the former settlers also deserted the islands. By the 1670s, the Bahamas, Turks, and Caicos islands were abandoned completely by most of its original settlers. However, the area was still kept under the control of an English governor.