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Bermuda

 

Bermuda's Timeline: 16th Century to the 21st Century

 Information courtesy of the Department of Statistics


16th Century • Bermuda is sighted by Spanish Seaman, Juan de Bermudez, before 1511 (when Bermuda was shown for the first time in Legatio Babylonica by Peter Martyr)


1609 • Start of human settlement as a result of shipwreck of the Sea Venture which was bound for Virginia


1612 • Permanent settlers arrive from England, one of them being Richard Moore, the first Governor, Town of St. George established


1616 • One black and one Indian arrive from West Indies as indentured servants to dive for pearls


1620 • House of Assembly formed, giving some measure of internal self-government.

  • • Economy: Whaling, shipbuilding, tobacco growing, and beginning of salt raking in Turks Island (1668 - 1801)


    • 1730     • Resistance to slavery continues to grow. First newspaper begins publication (Bermuda Gazette)


    1784     • First Postal Service begins


    1792     • Building of Hamilton Begins

    • Economy: privateering becomes main economic activity as a result of hostilities between England and European countries


    1810     • Construction of Dockyard begins


    1815     • Hamilton becomes capital city


    1834     • Abolition of slavery


    1847     • Arrival of first Portuguese labourers


    1858     • First bank established


    1887     • Introduction of first telephone and cable service


    1894     • King Edward VII Memorial Hospital established

  • • Economy: Agriculture gains in economic importance; export of spring vegetables to eastern United States


    • 1901     • Tourism emerges as winter season economic activity


    1904     • Introduction of electricity


    1930     • Bermuda begins promoting itself as a summer tourist resort


    1931     • Bermuda Railway in operation (to 1948)


    1938     • Introduction of passenger air service between between Bermuda and New York


    1944     • Women's suffrage granted (with property qualification)


    1946     • General use of cars; establishment of first broadcasting station


    1963     • Establishment of first political party.


    1965     • Formation of Bermuda Regiment


    1968     • New Constitution brings Ministerial Government and first general election under universal adult suffrage


    1972     • Bermuda College is established


    1979     • Constitutional Conference; Women voluntarily join the Bermuda Regiment


    1984     • The Human Rights Act of 1981 becomes operative


    1997     • Pamela Gordon is appointed Premier by her United Bermuda Party colleagues, becoming the the first female to hold this position.


    1998     • The Progressive Labour Party wins its first general election, marking the first change in Government since the establishment of party politics thirty years ago


    1998     • Jennifer M. Smith became the first female political party leader to become the Premier of Bermuda as a result of winning the general election.

  • • Economy: Tourism moves to forefront as primary foreign exchange earner, but gives way to international business during the last
    decade of the century.


    • 2003     • UK parliament passes an Order in Council to amend the parliamentary election to thirty-six single-seat constituencies comprising near equal numbers of voters


    2009     • Year-long celebrations of Bermuda's 400 years

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