Date of Award
Fall 2012
Project Type
Thesis
Program or Major
History
Degree Name
Master of Arts
First Advisor
Eliga H Gould
Abstract
The position of the Bahama Islands on the periphery Britain's "Blue-Water Empire," far removed from the American Revolution's pitched battles, did not allow the colony to escape unaffected. Rather, the American Revolution had a significant impact on the colony both during and after the conflict. The effects of the Continental Congress' military and commercial policies towards the islands resulted in a political breakdown not seen amongst the remaining loyal British colonies. Furthermore, the effects of the Revolution did not end with the conflict, rather they continued for decades afterwards as many displaced American Loyalists settled on the islands. The Loyalists immigration was a revolution in its own, transforming the colony from impoverished economic stasis to a booming frontier with the cotton and salt trades. Yet, the economic prosperity did not last, and the colony had sunk into economic stasis by the mid-1830s.
Recommended Citation
Nedervelt, Ross Michael, "A tumultuous upheaval and transformation: The impact of the American Revolution on the Bahama Islands" (2012). Master's Theses and Capstones. 165.
https://scholars.unh.edu/thesis/165