Bermuda History
The history of Bermuda is tied to the history of the British Empire and its colonization of the New World. Bermuda was established as a British colony after an accidental shipwreck and became a major power in seafaring and privateering. Today, tourism creates a booming industry that is accented by Bermuda's strategic military value in the Atlantic.
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History
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Spanish explorers located Bermuda in early 1500s, but no real colonization efforts began until 1609, when an English ship, the Sea Venture, became separated from its Virginia company fleet and landed on the reefs of the island. The 150 passengers and crew were stranded on Bermuda for 10 months while they built two new ships from stripped parts and materials on the island. They set sail from Bermuda to Jamestown where they arrived to a decimated town. Soon, a relief fleet came and a crew left for England with news of the island. They stopped at Bermuda, leaving three volunteers to claim the island for England. In 1612, the Virginia Company formally established a colony on Bermuda with the building of the town of St. George. The initial use of the island was primarily for growing tobacco, but this was found to be unsustainable due to the poor quality of soil. Soon, shipbuilding and maritime exploits became the islands most profitable professions. Bermudians discovered that salt was easy to obtain on the neighboring Grand Turk Island because of its shallow waters around the island. This caused the Bermudians to establish a permanent settlement and begin salt raking. However, the Bahamian government also discovered this and lay claim to the island themselves. The Crown informed both governments that a colony of England could not have a colony of its own, leading to further disagreements between the two rivals. Spanish and French forces claimed the Turks in 1706, but a military campaign by the Bermudians removed the foreign threat. The argument between the Bermudian and Bahamian governments continued until the early 1800s when a combination of hurricanes that destroyed the island's infrastructure and the War of 1812 removed the United States from the salt trade.
Features
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During World War II, Bermuda became a strategic possession of the Allies in the Atlantic. However, with the Royal Navy's commitments needed elsewhere, they were insufficient in keeping a sizable fleet stationed at the naval base. This led to a deal with the United States in which Winston Churchill authorized the U.S. Navy to establish a naval base and airfield with a 99-year lease in exchange for surplus destroyers. The British would have access to the naval base and the airfield when needed. The U.S. stayed in Bermuda until 1995, when they removed their troops and closed the base. They retained possession of the area, however, until 2002 due to Bermudian concerns over environmental conditions of the land. This final move left Bermuda with no military protection.
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Significance
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The colonization of Bermuda led to the ultimate populating of other islands in the area. The Turks and Caicos islands became financial assets to the Bermudians during the eighteenth century, giving way to expansion of the English settlers and slaves to these islands. In addition, the Turks islands were effectively stripped of their native forests in the pursuit of salt for trade. This was one of the earliest known examples of total deforestation of an area. Slavery was a fact of life in Bermuda during the colonial era, however not as prominent as in many other colonies. African slaves were brought to the island, but many rebelled against their owners. There were numerous accounts of slaves massing in groups and returning to kill their European masters. There was even a brief stint of Irish slaves brought to Bermuda during the 1650s following the English Civil War, however they proved to be even more rebellious than the African slaves. The slave trade was abolished in the early 1800s and by 1834, all slaves were freed.
Considerations
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Bermuda remains a British colony to this day, despite many attempts at independence. The United Nations has sent envoys pressuring the Bermudans, stating that the United Kingdom exploits its relationship with the island and they would be better as a sovereign country. Bermudans point out that they have a self-governing constitution with universal adult suffrage. Without being a British colony, they would be forced to establish a system of ambassadors and renegotiate its status with foreign powers. Its population would lose the right to British passports, making travel more restrictive and the financial assistance they receive from their parent country aids their governments coffers. In addition, the fact that Bermuda has no military and no system of trade set up with any other country makes for a severe challenge to this small island.
Misconceptions
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Despite its modern appeal, tourism in Bermuda began during the Victorian era when well-to-do Americans would vacation to avoid the cold winters. Despite its explosion during the post-war era, tourism was never Bermuda's number one industry. Shipping and maritime exploits such as privateering were the most profitable businesses throughout Bermuda's history, being replaced in the late twentieth century by banking.
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Resources
- Photo Credit shakespeareinamericanlife.org
