History of Belize - National Institute of Culture and History
200 - 800 A.D.
Maya cities flourish all through Belize.
900- 1500 A.D.
Maya cultural decline in Southern and Central America
1520s
Cortes crosses Southern Belize
1530s
Montejo attempts to conquer Belize for Spain. Nachankan and Belize Maya defeated Spanish.
1650s
British buccaneers begin to settle Belizean coast.
1660
Bartholomew Sharpe, famous British pirate, makes Belize his base and begins to harvest logwood for sa
1670
Godolphin (Madrid) Treaty opening all of the Americas to British colonization.
1717
Spanish force from Peten drives out Baymen.
1720s
First record of African slaves in Belize.
1754
Spanish drive out Baymen who return within a year.
1763
Treaty of Paris: Spain permitted British settlers to cut logwood; no boundaries defined.
1765
Admiral Burnaby codified Settlement's Regulations, known as "Burnaby's Code". Public meetings passe
1765/68/73
Slaves' revolts.
1779
Spanish forces capture Belize and take Baymen and slaves to Yucatan. Slaves freed after declaring loya
1783
Treaty of Versailles: Spain recognizes British rights to cut logwood in Belize between the Hondo and Bel
1784
Settlers return to Belize; Despard appointed first Superintendent of the settlement.
1786
Convention of London expands British rights in Belize to the Sibun and permits mahogany cutting.
1787
British evacuate Mosquito Shore and 2,214 "Shoremen" and their slaves came to Belize. Public meeting
1788
Maya attacked mahogany works on New River.
1798
Battle of St. George's Caye.
1802
150 Garifuna already settled at Stann Creek.
1807
Abolition of slave trade:-British domains.
1817
Superintendent takes away power of settlers to issue lands; large body of runaway slaves reported in the
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History of Belize - National Institute of Culture and History
1820
Slave revolt.
1821
Mexican and Central American independence.
1831
Act passed to give equal rights to "colored subjects" as to whites.
1832
Large number of Garifuna arrive in Belize (Garifuna Settlement Day- November 19th ).
1834/38
Slavery abolished. Land ordered to be sold and no longer issued free.
1847
War of the Castes in Yucatan sends thousands of refugees into Belize.
1856
North side of Belize City destroyed by fire.
1859
British- Guatemala Treaty establishes modern boundaries of Belize. British Honduras Company (later B.
1862
Belize becomes a Colony of "British Honduras".
1865
Labourers brought from West Indian islands and China, especially for work on sugar estates of B.H. Co.
1866
British troops routed by Maya in Yalbac Hills.
1867
Reinforced British Troops destroy Maya villages and crops in Yalbac.
1871
Belize declared a Crown Colony after Assembly dissolved itself in 1870. Three of the four unofficial mem
1894
1906
Constables mutiny. Belizeans workers riot for better pay.
Belize City gets electricity.
1914
World War I - Many Belizeans volunteers served in Egypt, Mesopotamia & Pales
1933
1934
1939
1949
1950
1952
1954
1964
1968
Guatemala re- asserts claim to Belize.
Antonio Soberanis leads workers protests.
World War II- Belizeans soldier see action in Italy & Egypt.
B.H. dollar devalued.
Founding of the P.U.P.
National strike led by General Workers Union.
Vote for all adults.
Self Government.
The "Webster Proposals": Draft treaty presented by U.S.A. media tor for Anglo-
1919
Belizean troops riot upon return home.
1922
Marcus Garvey visits Belize.
1929
Great Depression begins.
1931
Great Hurricane - over 2,000 dead.
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History of Belize - National Institute of Culture and History
1970s
Internalization of Belize's cause.
1971
Belize joins CARIFTA. Belmopan becomes capital of Belize.
1973
Country's name legally changed to "Belize". Aliens Landholding Ordinance pass
1975
First pro- Belize resolution passed by General Assembly of United Nations.
1976
Belize given "special status" in Non-Aligned Movement.
1981
Independence.
Belize joins Commonwealth, United Nations and Non- Aligned Movement. George Price of the People's
1984
1986
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
PUP is defeated for the first time in 30 years. Manuel Esquivel of the United Dem
Belize's first university open.
PUP wins general elections and George Price is again named Prime Minister.
12 years after its formation, three Belizeans take command of the Belize Defenc
Guatemalan President Jorge Serrano Elias recognizes Belize's right to self dete
Guatemalan Constitutional Court upholds President Serrano's decision to recogn
UDP with Prime Minister Esquivel has a second term in office after the P.U.P. go
1994
Responsibility for Belize's defense changes from British Forces to the Belize Defence Force as the Britis
1996
Hon. George Cadle Price steps aside after 40 years as leader of the PUP. Said
1998
PUP returns to power with Said Musa as Prime Minister of Belize. Dean Barrow
2001
Maya in Belize sign Declaration of Ancestral Rights. UNESCO proclaims The Ga
2003
PUP wins general election to become the first government to serve two consecu
2008
UDP under Prime Minister Dean Barrow forms the new government .
*2000
AD-1981 Information extracted from:
(2009)
Toward an independent Belize .A history of Belize: Nation in the making. Retriev
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