The Bahamas were discovered in 1492. British settlers began arriving in the 1600's and they were occupied by the British, except for a short period of time in the 1700's, until they gained full independence in 1973. The Bahamas consist of 700 islands and more than 1,000 cays.<ref name="profile">The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: West Indies,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 1999.</ref> | The Bahamas were discovered in 1492. British settlers began arriving in the 1600's and they were occupied by the British, except for a short period of time in the 1700's, until they gained full independence in 1973. The Bahamas consist of 700 islands and more than 1,000 cays.<ref name="profile">The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: West Indies,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 1999.</ref> |