This book was originally published to coincide with the bicentennial of the arrival of the American Loyalists in The Bahamas. It describes the Loyalist influx in the 1780's, their settlement and the social, political and economics influence they exerted on their adopted home.
The author gives a brief description of their original settlements pointing out the differences between the Loyalists who settled in the northern Bahamas and those who settled in the south. She examines the slaves of the Loyalists and concludes that their descendants significantly influenced Bahamian history.
The economic impact of the Loyalists and their slaves is considered in depth together with their influence in religion, and social and cultural life. Finally she mentions the rift which developed in politics between newcomers and the old inhabitants.
Gail Saunders, pioneer Bahamian archivist, is at present Scholar-on-Residence at the College of The Bahamas, Nassau, Bahamas. She had authored and co-authored several books, including Historic Nassau, The Bahamas - A Family of Islands, Sources of Bahamian History and Nassau's Historic Landmarks published by Macmillan, and published numerous articles. She edited the Journal of the Bahamas Historical Society for twenty-eight years
