About Belizea
About Belize |
Chronological Table Toward an Independent Belize!
200 - 800 A.D. -Maya cities flourish all through Belize.
900 1000 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 sale to U.K.
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 passed resolutions boundaries of logwood works.
1765/68/73 -Slaves revolt.
1779 -Spanish forces capture Belize and take Baymen and slaves to Yucatan. Slaves freed after declaring loyalty to Spain. Baymen sent to Cuba.
1783 -Treaty of Versailles: Spain recognizes British rights to cut logwood in Belize between the Hondo and Belize rivers.
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 determined qualifications for owning mahogany works.
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.
1817 -Superintendent takes away power of settlers to issue lands; large body of runaway slaves reported in the interior.
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).
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 over Belize. British Honduras Company (later B.E.C.) formed.
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 Crown Colony after Assembly dissolved itself in 1870. Three of the four unofficial members in new Legislative Council represent landed interests.
1894 -Constables mutiny. belizeans workers riot for better pay.
1906 -Belize City gets electricity.
1914 -World War I - Many Belizeans volunteers served.
1919 -Belizean troops riot upon return home.
1922 -Marcus Garvey visits Belize.
1929 -Great Depression begins.
1931 -Great Hurricane - over 2,000 dead.
1933 -Guatemala re- asserts claim to Belize.
1934 -Antonio Soberanis leads workers protests.
1939 -World War II.
1949 -B.H. dollar devalued.
1950 -Founding of the P.U.P.
1952 -National strike led by General Workers Union.
1954 -Vote for all adults.
1964 -Self Government.
1968 -The "Webster Proposals": Draft treaty presented by U.S.A. media tor for Anglo- Guatemalan dispute, rejected by government and people.
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 passed.
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.
200 - 800 A.D. -Maya cities flourish all through Belize.
900 1000 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 sale to U.K.
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 passed resolutions boundaries of logwood works.
1765/68/73 -Slaves revolt.
1779 -Spanish forces capture Belize and take Baymen and slaves to Yucatan. Slaves freed after declaring loyalty to Spain. Baymen sent to Cuba.
1783 -Treaty of Versailles: Spain recognizes British rights to cut logwood in Belize between the Hondo and Belize rivers.
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 determined qualifications for owning mahogany works.
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.
1817 -Superintendent takes away power of settlers to issue lands; large body of runaway slaves reported in the interior.
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).
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 over Belize. British Honduras Company (later B.E.C.) formed.
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 Crown Colony after Assembly dissolved itself in 1870. Three of the four unofficial members in new Legislative Council represent landed interests.
1894 -Constables mutiny. belizeans workers riot for better pay.
1906 -Belize City gets electricity.
1914 -World War I - Many Belizeans volunteers served.
1919 -Belizean troops riot upon return home.
1922 -Marcus Garvey visits Belize.
1929 -Great Depression begins.
1931 -Great Hurricane - over 2,000 dead.
1933 -Guatemala re- asserts claim to Belize.
1934 -Antonio Soberanis leads workers protests.
1939 -World War II.
1949 -B.H. dollar devalued.
1950 -Founding of the P.U.P.
1952 -National strike led by General Workers Union.
1954 -Vote for all adults.
1964 -Self Government.
1968 -The "Webster Proposals": Draft treaty presented by U.S.A. media tor for Anglo- Guatemalan dispute, rejected by government and people.
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 passed.
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.