,,iv  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #cig  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,octob] #cj1 #bjac    
,mr4 ,ha/+s ( ,florida 7= himself1 ,ms4 
,br[n ( ,florida1 ,ms4 ,cl>ke1 ,ms4     
,wilson ( ,florida1 ,mr4 ,jeffries1 ,mr4
 ,cony]s1 ,ms4 ,norton1 & ,mr4 ,lewis7  
submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0     
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign        
,affairs  ,,resolution  ,recogniz+ !    
#dj? anniv]s>y ( ! indep5d5ce ( !       
,bahamas4  ,:]eas ! pr\d hi/ory & ri*   
culture ( ! ,bahamian p date back       
c5turies1 hav+ evolv$ amid significant  
influ5ce f =eign settl]s & trad]s :o 7  
drawn to _! isl&s' ecological beauty1   
res\rces1 & /rategic location2 ,:]eas ! 
isl&s ( ! ,bahamas 7 settl$ by !        
,lucayan ,indians f #ijj to #aejj ,,ad  
&1 foll[+ ,*ri/oph] ,columbus' l&fall 9 
! ,new ,_w on ,san ,salvador 9 #adib1   
ab\t #dj1jjj natives 7 s5t to "w 9 !    
m9es ( ,hispaniola2 ,:]eas ,briti%      
settlem5t began 9 #afdh ) ! arrival (   
,engli% ,puritans l$ by ,capta9 ,william

 ,sayle1 kn[n z ,eleu!ran ,adv5tur]s1 :o
 s\ght religi\s fre$om2 ,:]eas ! capital
 ( ! ,bahamas1 ,nassau1 0 e/abli%$ ar\nd
 #afgj z a comm]cial port1 & exp]i5c$   
sev]al decades ( conflict betwe5        
,spani%1 ,fr5*1 & ,briti% milit>y =ces1 
z well z private]s & pirates2 ,:]eas by 
#agah1 ! ,k+ ( ,engl& appo9t$ ,capta9   
,woodes ,rog]s to s]ve z ! fir/ ,royal  
,gov]nor & re/ore ord] 9 ! ,bahamas1 n[ 
a cr[n colony2 ,:]eas foll[+ ! ,am]ican 
,w> ( ,indep5d5ce1 ! ,briti% issu$ l&   
grants to ,am]ican ,loyali/s :o w5t into
 exile 9 ! ,bahamas1 br++ ) !m slaves & 
=c+ ! ,spani% to retreat f ! region2    
,:]eas ! majority ( ,bahamians today    
trace back _! roots to ! ?\s&s ( ,we/   
,africans :o 7 enslav$ & br\ght to !    
isl&s 9 ord] to "w on cotton plantations
 by ^? loyal to ! ,briti% ,cr[n2 ,:]eas 
,brita9 aboli%$ its slave trade 9 #ahjg1
 & resettl$ ?\s&s ( lib]at$ ,africans f 
=eign slave %ips z free p]sons 9 !      
,bahamas2 ,:]eas 9 ! e>ly #ahbjs1       
hundr$s ( ,am]ican slaves & ,black      

,sem9oles escap$ f ,florida1 ) _m ( !m  
settl+ on ,&ros ,isl& 9 ! ,bahamas2     
,:]eas ,brita9 (ficially aboli%$ slav]y 
?r\gh\t mo/ ( ! ,briti% ,empire 9 #ahcd1
 !reby end+ plantation life 9 ! ,bahamas
 & giv+ rise to a nation ( seaf>]s2     
,:]eas ! ,hotel & ,/eam ,%ip ,s]vice    
,act ( #ahih m>k$ ! beg9n+ ( a vibrant  
t\rism indu/ry = ! ,bahamas1 provid+ !  
gov]nm5t support ne$$ = ! con/ruction ( 
hotels & subsidiz$ /eam%ip s]vice2      
,:]eas 9 #aifd1 ,bahamians 7 grant$     
self-rule1 & 9 #aifi became memb]s ( !  
,commonweal? ( ,nations2 ,:]eas 9       
,decemb] #aigb1 ! ,gov]nm5t ( ! ,bahamas
 head$ by ,prime ,m9i/] ! ,rt4 ,hon4    
,lynd5 ,p9dl+ & ! ,opposition head$ by  
,sir ,k5dal ,isaacs l$ a delegation to  
,london to discuss ! ,indep5d5ce        
,con/itution2 ,:]eas1 on ,april #b1     
#aigc1 ! ,m9i/] ( ,home ,affairs1 !     
,hon4 ,r4,f4 ,an?ony ,rob]ts1 ann\nc$ 9 
! ,h\se ( ,assembly t ! ,bahamas _h a   
new flag1 & 9 ! same ye> ,timo?y        
,gibson's ,m>* ,on1 ,bahamal& 0 adopt$ z

 ! c\ntry's national an!m2 ,:]eas1 on   
,july #aj1 #aigc1 ! ,bahamas became a   
free & sov]eign c\ntry1 end+ #cbe ye>s (
 peaceful ,briti% rule2 & ,:]eas        
,bahamians typically commemorate _!     
indep5d5ce ) a week-long celebration    
beg9n+ on ,july #c1 consi/+ ( a numb] ( 
,junkanoo /reet p>ades1 fireworks1      
political spee*es1 & o!r ev5ts3 ,n[1    
!re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,h\se (               
,repres5tatives--  7#a7 jo9s ! p ( !    
,bahamas & ! ,bahamian diaspora         
worldwide 9 commemorat+ ! #dj? anniv]s>y
 ( ! indep5d5ce ( ! ,bahamas2  7#b7     
recognizes t ! ,unit$ ,/ates & !        
,bahamas are unit$ by a %>$ hi/ory1     
common values1 & a commitm5t to         
democracy & human rights2 &  7#c7       
enc\rages bo? nations to cont9ue /r5g!n+
 _! fri5d%ip & bilat]al p>tn]%ip1       
especially 9 promot+ great] security1   
economic developm5t1 & p-to-p ex*anges1 
exp&+ opportunities = ! next g5]ation ( 
lead]s1 address+ ! effects ( climate    
*ange1 & advanc+ g5d] equality ?r\gh\t !

 ,c>ibbean region4