The History of the real Freemen

The Freemen of Nassau was a great example of modern age democracy. Originally a British colony, Nassau acted as port for ships pulling gold out of south America from the Mayans in 1696. During the Spanish British war, a fleet rolled in and burned Nassau to slow the British efforts, therefore the British government officials abandoned Nassau. With the citizens still trying to survive and ships showing up demanding to be taken care of, the people of Nassau became increasing upset at the crown, while attacks from the Spanish continued from 1703 to 1706. So, the people of Nassau threw out their British flags and became the freemen. They continued to trade and began building a government that is more democratic than the crown. However, the British cut off all trade for the freemen, and the Spanish attacks carried on as Nassau was still considered a British colony. Hence, the freemen began earned the help from infamous pirates, like Edward Teach (Blackbeard), Charles Vane, “Calico” Jack Rackham, Anne Bonny, and Mary Read or other sailors of the seas that had also thrown off the flag; some British privateers, others abandoned by their country. They began coming to Nassau as a safe haven for all people of the sea, amongst pirates that respected a code. With nothing to lose, they turned their efforts against the British and the Spanish. They plundered ships coming out of south America and using their gold to make a good life for themselves in Nassau. Their population grew rapidly, and the British deemed them the name “The Republic of Pirates”. Soon, Nassau was a bustling port for all men of the sea, using the British fort to protect themselves from all ships sailing a country flag. Nassau became a place for those tossed out by their government. For years, they ran a democratic system, while under fight from the British and Spanish. However, once the war between Spain and Britain came to an end in 1713, the navy turned its full attention towards Nassau and her freemen. So, came the end of the Freemen of Nassau around 1718, when Woodes Rogers was appointed governor of the Bahamas. With the bulk wiped out and British rule back in place, the few that survived fled for safety into the sea. So, we carry on their memory people free of the crown living together and bound together by the sea. We sail together, we die together.