The Turbulent Times Of 1859 In Belize: A Historical Perspective

In 1859, Belize was a British colony known as British Honduras. That year, Britain and Guatemala signed the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty, which defined the borders of Belize to the south and west. In exchange for Guatemala recognising British Honduras as a British colony, Britain agreed to build a road from Guatemala City to the Belizean town of Punta Gorda. However, the treaty's wording left it unclear whether Britain was obliged to build the road at its own expense. This dispute persisted until 1940, when Guatemala claimed that the treaty was null and void because the road had not been built.

Guatemala and Britain sign the Anglo-Guatemalan Treaty

In 1859, Guatemala and Britain signed the Anglo-Guatemalan Treaty, also known as the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty, which defined the borders of Belize to the south and west. The treaty was signed and ratified by both countries, and it was not a treaty of cession—it only dealt with boundaries.

Article 1 of the treaty defines the boundary as it existed before 1850, starting from the mouth of the Sarstoon River, through the mid-channel, and up to the border with Mexico. Article 6 states that both countries are free to navigate the Sarstoon River. Article 7 states that both countries will use their best efforts to build a means of communication between Guatemala City and the Atlantic Coast to increase trade and wealth.

The treaty was later ratified, and Britain claimed it was released from any obligation to build the road, denying Guatemala's entitlement to Belize. This dispute persisted until 1940, when Guatemala stated that it was no longer a question of whether Article 7 could be fulfilled, and that it now had the right to recovered territory 'ceded' in 1859. Guatemala's 1945 constitution stated that any efforts to obtain Belize's reinstatement to the Guatemalan Republic were of national interest.

The Anglo-Guatemalan Treaty of 1859 temporarily settled the question of Guatemala's claim on the territory, and it set the present-day western boundary of Belize. However, the dispute over the interpretation of Article 7 continued, and Guatemala's claim on Belizean territory persisted into the 20th and 21st centuries.

Belize is a British colony

Belize, or as it was known then, British Honduras, became a British colony in 1862. However, the country had been under British rule since the 18th century.

In the 1600s, British and Scottish pirates, known as the Baymen, arrived on the coast of Belize. They soon discovered the value of logwood, a tropical tree used to make dye, and began cutting and selling it. The Baymen also introduced slavery to the region, bringing enslaved Africans from the West Indies to support the industry.

In 1667, a treaty was signed in England calling for the suppression of piracy, which only encouraged the growth of the logging industry. In 1670, the Godolphin Treaty confirmed England's claim to all countries and islands in the Western Hemisphere that it had already settled. However, this treaty did not name the coastal area between Yucatán and Nicaragua, where Belize lay.

Throughout the 18th century, the Spanish, who had previously claimed sovereignty over the area, attacked British settlers, forcing them to leave the region on four separate occasions. However, the Spanish never officially settled the region, and the British always returned. In 1798, the Battle of St. George's Caye marked the final Spanish attempt to remove the British by force. The British won this engagement, officially expelling the Spanish from claiming control of the area that comprises Belize today.

In 1854, Britain laid an official claim to the settlement in Belize, and in 1862, it was declared a British colony, named British Honduras. The colony was put under the governance of the British leaders in Jamaica, another British colony in the Caribbean. In 1871, British Honduras became a crown colony, and the Legislative Assembly was abolished. In 1884, British Honduras got its own governor and became a separate colony, independent from Jamaica.

During this time, the British settlers began importing enslaved Africans to help cut logwood and, later, mahogany. The conditions for these slaves were harsh and oppressive, and there were four slave revolts in Belize. Many slaves also escaped, taking advantage of the terrain and their freedom over the frontiers.

In the early 19th century, a group of people called the Garifuna, who were a mix of Carib Indians and Africans, settled on the southern coast of Belize. They became fisherfolk and farmers, and November 19, 1832, is officially recognised as "Garifuna Settlement Day" in Belize.

In the latter half of the 19th century, the British shifted their economic focus from logwood to mahogany extraction. This change demanded more money, land, and labourers. As a result, the British found ways to keep freed slaves dependent on the mahogany industry, such as through a system of wage advances and company stores that induced indebtedness.

In summary, Belize became a British colony in 1862, but it had been under British rule and settlement since the 17th century. The country's history during this period was marked by conflict with the Spanish, the establishment of the logging industry, and the introduction of slavery.

Belize becomes a Crown colony

Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, became a Crown colony in 1871. This came after the Legislative Assembly established in Belize City was abolished. The Crown Colony System of Government meant that Belize was now ruled by a governor appointed by the British monarchy, and the country was now a colony in name as well as in practice.

The transition to a Crown colony was the culmination of a series of constitutional changes that had been enacted since the 1850s. In 1854, Britain had laid an official claim to the settlement in Belize, and in 1862, the Settlement of Belize in the Bay of Honduras was declared a British colony, dubbed British Honduras. It was ruled by a governor who was subordinate to the governor of Jamaica, another British colony in the Caribbean.

The move to a Crown colony in 1871 was precipitated by the costly military expeditions against the Maya, which had increased the expenses of administering the colony at a time when the economy was depressed. The Legislative Assembly, controlled by large landowners and merchants, failed to authorize the raising of sufficient revenue, and its members eventually voted to abolish the assembly in return for greater security as a Crown colony.

The new constitution was inaugurated in April 1871, and the legislature became the Legislative Council, consisting of five ex-officio or "official" members and four appointed or "unofficial" members. This change shifted power from the old settler oligarchy to the boardrooms of British companies and to the Colonial Office in London.

Belize remained a Crown colony until it gained internal self-government in January 1964. The official name of the territory was changed from British Honduras to Belize in June 1973, and full independence was granted on 21 September 1981.

The Legislative Assembly is abolished

In 1854, Britain laid an official claim to the settlement they had established in Belize, and in 1862, the Settlement of Belize in the Bay of Honduras was declared a British colony, dubbed British Honduras. In 1871, British Honduras became a crown colony, and the Legislative Assembly established at Belize City was abolished. Instead, Belize would be governed by a Legislative Council, consisting of five ex-officio or "official" members and four appointed or "unofficial" members. The Lieutenant Governor, who was subordinate to the Governor of Jamaica, would preside over the Legislative Council.

The Legislative Assembly was controlled by great landowners and merchants, who had conflicting interests. The former group resisted the taxation of land and favoured an increase in import duties, while the latter preferred the opposite. This stalemate in the Legislative Assembly resulted in the members surrendering their political privileges and requesting the establishment of direct British rule in return for greater security as a crown colony.

The new constitution was inaugurated in April 1871, marking the end of the Legislative Assembly and the beginning of the Legislative Council.

The Caste War in the Yucatán

The Caste War was a devastating conflict that decimated the population of the Yucatán. It was fought between the Yucatec Maya and the Mexican population of the Yucatán, who were largely of European descent. The war was sparked by the execution of Manuel Antonio Ay, a Maya leader, by Mexican authorities. The Yucatec Maya rose up against the state, massacring much of the Mexican population of the Yucatán. In response, Mexican forces, supported by the Mexican government, brutally suppressed the rebellion, killing thousands of Maya.

The war caused a wave of refugees to flee the Yucatán, with many seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. In addition to the thousands of refugees who fled to Belize, others escaped to Guatemala and Honduras. The war also led to the re-establishment of Mayan communities in northern and western Belize, with Mayan refugees settling in these areas.

The Caste War had a significant impact on the demographics and economy of Belize. The influx of refugees led to the introduction of new agricultural practices, including traditional subsistence farming and the cultivation of sugar, bananas, and citrus fruits. To support these new agricultural endeavours, hundreds of labourers from China and South Asia were brought to Belize in the 1860s and 1870s. The war also contributed to the diversification of Belize's population, with the arrival of Spanish-speaking refugees adding to the country's mix of ethnic groups.

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