Editing The Bahamas (section)

===Post-Second World War===
[[File:Flag of the Bahamas (1964–1973).svg|thumb|The Bahamas was a [[Crown colony of the bahamas|Crown colony]] until it gained independence in 1973]]{{see also|Monarchy of the Bahamas}}Modern political development began after the [[Second World War]]. The first political parties were formed in the 1950s, split broadly along ethnic lines, with the [[United Bahamian Party]] (UBP) representing the English-descended Bahamians (known informally as the "Bay Street Boys")<ref name="badnews">{{Cite magazine|date=20 January 1967|title=Bad News for the Boys|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/0,8816,843308,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204101554/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/0,8816,843308,00.html|archive-date=4 February 2013|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> and the [[Progressive Liberal Party]] (PLP) representing the Black-Bahamian majority.<ref name="Britannica, Bahamas" />

In 1958 the first marine protected area in the Bahamas, the [[Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park]], was established.

A new constitution granting the Bahamas internal autonomy went into effect on 7 January 1964, with Chief Minister [[Sir Roland Symonette]] of the UBP becoming the first premier.<ref name="DN">Nohlen, D. (2005), ''Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I'' {{ISBN|978-0-19-928357-6}}</ref>{{rp|p.73}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Bahamian Proposes Independence Move|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=19 August 1966|page=A20|agency=United Press International|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/142811526/|access-date=10 July 2022|archive-date=29 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629031554/https://www.proquest.com/docview/142811526/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1967 [[Lynden Pindling|Sir Lynden Pindling]] of the PLP became the first black premier of the Bahamian colony; in 1968 the title of the position was changed to prime minister. In 1968 Pindling announced that the Bahamas would seek full independence.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bahamas Will Ask Britain For More Independence|first=Homer|last=Bigart|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=7 January 1968|page=1|url=https://nyti.ms/2VQlvpN|access-date=22 April 2020|archive-date=10 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710182606/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1968/01/07/110088035.html?zoom=15.200000000000001|url-status=live}}</ref> A new constitution giving the Bahamas increased control over its own affairs was adopted in 1968.<ref>{{cite news|title=Britain and Bahamas Agree on Constitution|first=Stephen V.|last=Armstrong|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=28 September 1968|page=A13|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/143455003/|access-date=10 July 2022|archive-date=28 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628131900/https://www.proquest.com/docview/143455003/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1971, the UBP merged with a disaffected faction of the PLP to form a new party, the [[Free National Movement]] (FNM), a centre-right party which aimed to counter the growing power of Pindling's PLP.<ref>Hughes, C (1981) Race and Politics in the Bahamas {{ISBN|978-0-312-66136-6}} 
</ref>

[[Her Majesty's Government]] gave the Bahamas its independence by an [[Order in Council]] dated 20 June 1973.<ref>The Bahamas Independence Order 1973 (Statutory Instrument 1973 No. 1080)</ref> The Order came into force on 10 July 1973, on which date [[Charles, Prince of Wales]], delivered the official documents to Pindling, the prime minister.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bahamas gets deed|work=Chicago Defender|agency=United Press International|date=11 July 1973|page=3|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/494008920/|access-date=10 July 2022|archive-date=26 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126180044/https://www.proquest.com/docview/494008920/|url-status=live}}</ref> This date is now celebrated as [[List of national independence days|Independence Day]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bahamas Independence Day Holiday|url=https://www.bahamas.com/event/bahamas-independence-day-holiday|access-date=7 July 2020|website=The Official Site of The Bahamas|publisher=The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism|archive-date=8 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708071119/https://www.bahamas.com/event/bahamas-independence-day-holiday|url-status=live}}</ref> It joined the [[Commonwealth of Nations]] on the same day.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bahama Independence|work=Tri-State Defender|location=Memphis, Tennessee|date=14 July 1973|page=16|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/370624842/|access-date=10 July 2022|archive-date=13 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313071052/https://www.proquest.com/docview/370624842|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Milo Butler|Sir Milo Butler]] was appointed the first [[Governor-General of the Bahamas|governor-general of the Bahamas]] (the official representative of [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]]) shortly after independence.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ciferri|first=Alberto|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1113890667|title=An Overview of Historical and Socio-Economic Evolution in the Americas|date=2019|publisher=Cambridge Scholars Publisher|isbn=978-1-5275-3821-4|location=Newcastle-upon-Tyne|pages=313|oclc=1113890667|access-date=21 July 2020|archive-date=10 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710182604/https://www.worldcat.org/title/overview-of-historical-and-socio-economic-evolution-in-the-americas/oclc/1113890667|url-status=live}}</ref>