Bermuda
Book Hotel
Cheap Flights
Golf
History
Maps
Places of Interest
BAMZ
Crystal Caves
Devil's Hole
Historic St. George's
Leamington Caves
Palm Grove Gardens
Prospero's Cave
Royal Naval Dockyard
More Bermuda Attractions
Recipes
Towns and Cities
Hamilton
St. George's
More Bermuda Towns
Travel Guides
Weather
Links
Bermuda Country Information
Caribbean & West Indian Recipes
Learn English eBooks
Travel Downloads
Travel eBooks
Travel Magazines
More Links
| Travel Guide 2 > Bermuda > History |
Bermudan History
The first appearance of Bermuda in the historical record is in 1511, when Peter Martyr d'Anghiera mentions the islands in his book, Legatio Babylonica. It is likely that the islands were discovered a few years earlier at the very beginning of the 16th century, but the exact date is unknown. Later in the century, both Spanish and Portuguese ships are believed to have regularly stopped at the islands to replenish their supplies of food and water, and there was even an attempt to establish a breeding stock of hogs on the islands. A Portuguese ship is also believed to have become stuck in the islands' reefs, and the sailors had to build a new hull of Bermudan cedar before leaving the islands - leaving the initials "RP 1543" carved on what subsequently became known as "Spanish Rock".
The first permanent colonization of Bermuda took place in 1609, when the English ship, Sea Venture, was wrecked off the coast of the islands. The islands were claimed for the English crown, and initially associated with Virginia, an association which is till recorded today in many place names in Virginia.
In the next centuries, despite attempts to agriculture (principally tobacco) in Bermuda, the islands. Sailors from Bermuda were active in whaling, privateering, and even the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), as well as the salt trade. After the American Revolution (1775 to 1783), also became the Royal Navy's main base in the western hemisphere, and gained the nickname "Gibraltar of the West".
In the 20th century, Bermudans served with British forces during both World Wars, and their sacrifices are remembered by the Cenotaph memorial in front of the Cabinet Building in Hamilton. The Royal Navy base on the island was closed in the 1950s, except for a small supply base which lasted until 1995. Thus, today, the Royal Naval Dockyard is now simply a tourist attraction - in fact one of the most popular tourist attractions in Bermuda, incorporating shops, restaurants, an arts center, and crafts market, as well as the Bermuda Maritime Museum.
Today, Bermuda is highly prosperous with an economy based on financial services and tourism. The islands' Progresive Labour Party supports independence from UK, but Bermudan voters rejected independence in a referendum on the issue in in 1995, and polls indicate that opinion is largely unchanged since that time. As a result, Bermuda remains a British Overseas Territory, albeit with a very high degree of local autonomy (the UK retains responsibility only for defense, and foreign affairs, as well as ultimately ensuring good governance).
Here are some books about the history of Bermuda:
