History of Bermuda

The history of Bermuda traces the archipelago’s settlement, changing economy and society, and political development from its discovery by Europeans to its status as a British Overseas Territory.

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Juan de Bermúdez: A Spanish mariner whose 1505 voyage is associated with the European discovery of Bermuda. His name became attached to the islands before any permanent European settlement.
Bermuda sloop: A fast sailing vessel developed in Bermuda, usually with a fore-and-aft rig. Its design carried Bermudian seafarers and commerce across Atlantic routes.
Emancipation in Bermuda: The end of legal slavery in Bermuda in 1834, followed by a period of apprenticeship. Emancipation changed labor relations without immediately ending racial inequality.
Bermudian independence movement: Political advocacy for ending Bermuda’s constitutional ties to the United Kingdom. Its limited support contrasts with Bermuda’s continued status as a British territory.
Sea Venture: An English ship wrecked on Bermuda in 1609 while carrying settlers to Jamestown. The wreck brought English colonists whose reports encouraged Bermuda’s settlement.
Slavery in Bermuda: The system of enslavement in Bermuda, which ended legally in 1834. Enslaved Africans and their descendants shaped the colony’s labor, economy, and population.
Bermuda suffrage: The development of voting rights and electoral representation in Bermuda. Expanding the franchise reshaped the colony’s political institutions.
British Overseas Territory: A territory under British sovereignty that is constitutionally distinct from the United Kingdom. This is Bermuda’s present constitutional status, rather than full independence.
Somers Isles Company: An English joint-stock company that governed and developed Bermuda from 1615 to 1684. It organized the colony’s early settlement and landholding.
Bermuda's maritime history: The history of Bermuda’s seafaring, shipbuilding, navigation, and ocean trade. Maritime work connected the small colony to Atlantic commerce and imperial power.