ESL Lesson Plans / Half Moon Cay (2)

Passenger:     What about the inhabitants? Where did they   
               come from?
Lecturer:      The Lukku-cairi people were the first to     
               settle in the Bahamas. They migrated from South     
               America. They are related to Arawak people, and     
               erroneously known as “Indians” ever since Columbus  
               gave them that name.

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Passenger:     I read something about the lost city of      
               Atlantis might be in this area. Do you know 
               anything about the rumor?
Lecturer:      Well, many people have suggested possible    
               sites for Atlantis. The Bahamian theory points to   
               the flat stones off the coast of Bimini. These      
               Stretch for half a mile and some scientists claim   
               they might have been an ancient road of Atlantis.   
               They are too perfectly placed to have been put
               there by an act of nature.
Passenger:     Did any other country ever claim the Bahamas?
Lecturer:      Yes, several countries have claimed the      
               Bahamas since Columbus. Missionaries established
               the first European settlement in 1647. But
               strangely, about 30 years later everyone had left.
               The Bahamas were abandoned for approximately two
               years. 
Passengers:    What happened?
Lecturer:      The main theory is that people left because  
               of a great sickness. We know it wasn't because of
               a lack of food; the tropical climate made food
               grow in abundance. 
Passenger:     Was it the plague?
Lecturer:      No, that is doubtful as the plague occurred  
               in Europe in the 1300's. But Remember sailors and   
               pirates were constant visitors to these islands.    
               They may have carried measles, smallpox or some     
               other contagious disease. 
Passenger:     What other countries claimed the Bahamas?
Lecturer:      I'm going to give you a timeline to follow.  
               (Points to board.) Please look at these dates. 
               When I have finished talking, I'll answer any of
               your questions.

 1706	Pirates rule

 1717	Bahamas British Crown Colony

 1776	Americans occupy Bahamas

 1782	Spaniards occupy Bahamas

 1783	Spain returns Bahamas to Britain-Treaty of Paris

 1804	Turks and Caicos Islands become part of Bahamas

 1835	Slavery ends in Bahamas

 1930	Sir Lynden Pindling is born (Bahamian leader)

 1940	Duke of Windsor is governor of islands

 1941	Unarmed us freighter “Mariana” is torpedoed and
    	sunk by U-boat east of Nassau

 1950	Britain allows the US to build a Bahamas military
	test range and tracking station.

 1955	Freeport free trade zone. Off-shore banking tour