The History Of Bahamas Flag For The Future

By Barbara Michalson


The Bahamas was one of the few areas in the region in which the Arawak people were not displaced by the more warlike Caribs. When, in 1492, Christopher Columbus made his first landing in the New World in The Bahamas, the people who met him were Arawaks who, he wrote, ‘have opened their hearts.

Though Columbus claimed the island for Spain, the lack of gold here led the Spaniards to focus on settlements elsewhere in the Caribbean. In 1629, Charles I of England laid claim to the Carolinas and threw The Bahamas in for good measure, a grand gesture that would weave together two of the major influences on The Bahamas’ developmentâ€"England and the American South.

The population took off in the late eighteenth century with the entry from America of Loyalist families and their slaves after the American Revolution. In 1783-84 the population was 4,058; by 1789, it was more than 11,000, with the white pilgrims creating a critical minority.

In 1964, a new constitution set up a ministerial system of government, and the legislature was reformed to represent majority interests. After the subsequent general election in 1967, the United Bahamian Party (the so-called 'Bay Street Boys') was forced into opposition for the first time in the assembly's history.

The hues in the configuration of the Bahamian banner symbolize the picture and yearnings of the general population of The Bahamas; the outline reflects parts of the indigenous habitat (the sun, sand, and ocean) and the monetary and social advancement. The banner is a dark equilateral triangle against the pole, superimposed on an even foundation made up of two hues on three equivalent stripes of sea green/blue, gold, and sea green/blue.

The symbolism of the banner is the following: Black reflects the power, the triangle directing towards the body of the banner reflects the endeavor and determination of The Bahamian individuals toward creation and possession of the rich resources of sun and ocean symbolized by gold. For the special events the Flag Company Inc invented beautiful decals and flags for the history support.




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