Although an Assembly had been created in Bermuda as early as 1620, and self-government encouraged, disputes between the Bermuda Company and the settlers resulted in the Assembly not being allowed to meet for the last decade of the Company’s relationship with the Island. The British Government, having made Bermuda a Colony in 1684, re-established the Assembly three years later. When the 18th Century began, it was thriving.

By then, the settlers had given up their efforts to farm, and turned instead to the sea for a living. Many of them took their slaves with them to Turk’s Islands, 1,400 miles to the south, where they raked salt. Over the course of the century, they became important traders in the US and the West Indies. They took salt to the east coast of the US, which they traded for corn, bread, flour, pork and lumber. They took cabbages and onions to the West Indies, which they traded for rum, molasses and cotton.

The Bermudian presence in Turk’s Island became quite large. Half way through the century, there were about 750 Bermudians living there. They had to fight for their salt flats – they were attacked by Spaniards, Frenchmen and even the Royal Navy (HMS Scarborough seized the cargoes of about 20 Bermudian ships in 1768. Its Captain had no right to do so, but the British Government refused redress for his actions). Attempts to get control of both the Turks Islands and the Bahamas as colonies of Bermuda were made over the years, but failed.

Paying so much attention to ships and the sea meant that Bermudians had difficulty providing their own food, especially vegetables. Importation from Britain was impossible, and importation from the US became almost impossible after the outbreak of the American Revolution. Bermudians petitioned the American Congress for help, and it suggested that if they brought firearms and ammunition to America, they’d get their food. The Revolutionary Army was short of such supplies then, and General George Washington had learned there was a “very considerable” magazine of gunpowder in Bermuda. The pitch worked. The gunpowder was duly stolen (it’s said the keys to the magazine were taken from under the Governor’s pillow) and more than 100 barrels transferred to an American ship.

The Continental Congress showed its appreciation by allowing trade of rice, corn, flour, pork and other commodities for Bermudian salt, by allowing Bermudian ships to enter American ports, and by exempting Bermudian ships from capture by American privateers. The British, made nervous by the Bermudian devotion to the newly independent Americans, stationed troops here from 1778.

During the course of the 18th Century, Bermudians also made their names in shipbuilding. They made what were known as the fastest ships on the sea – small, skinny sloops made of Bermuda cedar. At first, they were gaff-rigged, but Bermudian sailors soon developed the Bermuda rig, which is the basis for the rigging of most yachts today. Towards the end of the century, more than 175 Bermuda vessels were involved in trading among the colonies of the New World.

Attempts were made during the course of the century to diversify the economy of Bermuda, but none was successful. Bermudians seemed devoted to the sea, and happy with the life it gave them.

1600s, 1700s, 1800s, 1900s