Belize's Complex Colonial Legacy

Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, was colonised by the United Kingdom in the 17th century and remained a British colony until 1981. The country's history is steeped in colonial rivalry between European powers, particularly between Britain and Spain.

The Maya civilisation, which flourished in the region from around 1500 BC to 1000 AD, was the first to face the impacts of colonisation. While the Spanish conquistadors and missionaries of the 16th century failed to establish a strong presence, the British settlers, known as Baymen, successfully exploited forestry resources and established settlements along the coast. This led to conflicts with the Spanish, culminating in the Battle of St. George's Caye in 1798, where the British ultimately defeated the Spanish.

In 1862, the area became a crown colony of Britain and was officially named British Honduras. The British introduced slavery to Belize, importing African slaves to work in the logging industry. This period also saw the arrival of the Garifuna, a mix of Carib Indians and Africans exiled from British colonies, who settled along the southern coast.

Despite gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1981 and officially changing its name to Belize, the country continues to face challenges, including disputes over land ownership and the lingering territorial claim by neighbouring Guatemala.

Belize was a British colony until 1981

Belize, initially called British Honduras, was colonized by the United Kingdom in the 17th century and remained a British colony until 1981.

The Maya Civilization was the first to inhabit Belize, settling in the region around 1000 BC. They built impressive cities and created a sophisticated society with a highly developed system of writing, art, mathematics, and astronomy.

In the 16th century, the Spanish arrived in the region and claimed the area. However, the Maya resisted fiercely, and the Spanish did not establish a strong presence in what is now Belize. In the 17th century, the British established several settlements around the exploitation of forestry resources such as logwood and mahogany. The British brought African slaves to work in the logging industry, and Indian indentured workers were eventually brought in when slavery was abolished.

As British settlements grew, the Spanish attacked several times, attempting to retain their land. The British ultimately defeated them in 1798 in what is known as the Battle of St. George's Caye. In 1862, the area was officially recognized as a crown colony of Britain and was named British Honduras. Belize became a British colony in 1871 when the Legislative Assembly was abolished.

During the 1950s and 60s, British Honduras experienced an increase in political activism, accompanied by a strong push for liberation from British governance. This effort resulted in the attainment of "self-government" in 1964, ultimately culminating in full independence from the United Kingdom on September 21, 1981.

The country was officially renamed Belize in June 1973, signalling a break from its colonial past. The name is believed to have Maya origins, stemming from the word "Balix," which means "muddy water" in Mayan, a reference to the Belize River. The connection to the region's indigenous history was intended to reflect the diverse heritage and identity of the nation.

The Maya resisted Spanish colonisation

Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, has a long history of colonisation, dating back to the arrival of Spanish conquistadors and missionaries in the 16th century. The Maya civilisation, which had flourished in the region since 1500 BC, resisted Spanish colonisation for almost two centuries.

The Maya territory, which included modern-day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador, was made up of several competing kingdoms. The Spanish conquistadors viewed the Maya as infidels who needed to be forcefully converted and pacified. The first contact between the Maya and European explorers was recorded in 1502, during Christopher Columbus's fourth voyage, when his brother Bartholomew encountered a Maya trading canoe.

The Spanish conquest of the Maya was a protracted conflict, with the Maya kingdoms resisting integration into the Spanish Empire with tenacity. The Maya lacked key elements of Old World technology, such as the use of iron and steel, horses, and gunpowder, and they were extremely susceptible to Old World diseases. Despite their technological disadvantages, the Maya utilised effective tactics such as ambushes and digging pits lined with stakes to counter the Spanish cavalry.

The Itza Maya and other lowland groups in the Petén Basin, first contacted by Hernán Cortés in 1525, remained independent and hostile towards the Spanish until 1697. In that year, a concerted Spanish assault led by Martín de Urzúa y Arizmendi finally defeated the last independent Maya kingdom. The Maya population had already begun to decline before the Spanish arrival due to diseases and other factors, but the Spanish conquest accelerated this process, with entire communities being wiped out within a decade of colonial rule.

The Maya's resistance was not limited to military tactics but also extended to their cultural and religious practices. They prioritised the capture of live prisoners and booty, which contrasted with the Spanish focus on taking land and resources. The Maya's religious beliefs, centred around the worship of male ancestors and natural elements, provided a source of strength and unity in their resistance against the Spanish attempts at conversion and cultural destruction.

The Maya's resistance against the Spanish conquistadors was a prolonged and bloody conflict, with both sides suffering heavy casualties. The Maya's determination to defend their land and way of life, despite their technological disadvantages, showcases their resilience and commitment to preserving their civilisation.

The British defeated the Spanish in 1798

The British defeated the Spanish in the Battle of St. George's Caye in 1798. This was the last Spanish attempt to control the territory or dislodge other settlers. The British drove off the Spanish fleet, thwarting Spain's attempts to control the region.

The battle was fought between a Spanish fleet and a force of Baymen and their slaves. From 3 to 5 September, the Spaniards tried to force their way through Montego Caye shoal but were blocked by defenders. On 10 September, the Baymen repelled the Spanish fleet in a short engagement with no known casualties. The anniversary of the battle has been declared a national holiday in Belize and is celebrated to commemorate the defence of their territory taken from the Spanish empire.

The Battle of St. George's Caye was a significant event in the history of Belize, as it marked the end of Spanish attempts to control the region and secured British settlement in the area. The British had been interested in settling the area due to the availability of logwood, which was used in the production of textile dyes. The battle also ensured that the Baymen, a group of British settlers, maintained their control over the local legislature and most of the settlement's land and timber.

The victory over the Spanish in 1798 paved the way for Belize to become a British colony in all but name. The British government slowly established its authority in the region, with superintendents appointed to oversee the settlement. In 1817, the superintendent was granted the authority to appoint magistrates, and in 1832, he assumed the power to grant land. In 1854, a formal constitution was established, creating a Legislative Assembly. This marked the beginning of British colonial rule in Belize, which lasted until the country gained its independence in 1981.

Belize was a British Honduras

Belize was formally termed the "Colony of British Honduras" in 1862, and it became a crown colony in 1871.

The history of Belize dates back thousands of years, with the Maya civilization flourishing in the area between 1500 BC and 1200 BC until about 1000 AD. The first recorded European incursions in the region were made by Spanish conquistadors and missionaries in the 16th century. The British were attracted to the area by the availability of logwood, and they began settling the inhospitable coast in the mid-17th century.

The British settlers, who called themselves Baymen, began importing African slaves in the early 18th century to cut logwood and then mahogany. The slaves were treated cruelly and oppressively, and there were four slave revolts in Belize. Treaties with Spain forbade the British from establishing a formal government structure, so the settlers conducted their affairs through public meetings and elected magistrates. However, superintendents appointed by the British government slowly established their executive authority. In 1798, the British overcame Spain's final attempt to remove them by force, and Belize became a colony in all but name.

In 1862, the Settlement of Belize in the Bay of Honduras was officially declared a British colony called British Honduras, and the crown's representative was elevated to a lieutenant governor, subordinate to the governor of Jamaica. This marked a shift in power from the old settler oligarchy to the boardrooms of British companies and the Colonial Office in London. The new constitution of 1871 confirmed this change, with the lieutenant governor and the Legislative Council governing British Honduras.

The forestry industry's control of land and its influence in colonial decision-making hindered the development of agriculture and the diversification of the economy. Landownership was controlled by a small European monopoly, preventing the evolution of a Creole landowning class from former slaves. The British Honduras Company (later the Belize Estate and Produce Company) emerged as the predominant landowner, with about half of all privately held land in the colony. This concentration of capital meant that the direction of the colony's economy was determined in London, signalling the eclipse of the old settler elite.

In the late 19th century, the ethnic pattern that would remain largely intact throughout the 20th century was in place: Protestants largely of African descent, who spoke English or Creole, lived in Belize Town; the Roman Catholic Maya and Mestizos, who spoke Spanish, lived chiefly in the north and west; and the Roman Catholic Garifuna, who spoke English, Spanish, or Garifuna, settled on the southern coast.

Guatemala challenged British occupation

Guatemala challenged the British occupation of Belize on the grounds that it had inherited Spanish interests in the area. From time to time, Mexico also asserted a claim to part of Belize.

In 1859, Great Britain and Guatemala appeared to have settled their differences by signing the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty, which defined boundaries for Belize. However, the treaty also included an article about building a mutually beneficial road, which was never built. Guatemala used this broken promise as justification for the treaty to be void.

In 1939, Guatemala's Foreign Ministry published a supplementary section to The White Book, which argued that the 1859 treaty had lapsed. In February 1948, Guatemala threatened to invade and forcibly annex the territory, and Britain responded by deploying troops to Belize.

In 1957, responding to a Guatemalan threat to invade, Britain deployed a company of the Worcestershire Regiment, which carried out jungle training before leaving. In 1958, a force of pro-Guatemalan fighters crossed the border and raised the Guatemalan flag. A British platoon was then deployed and exchanged fire with them, before arresting some 20 fighters.

In 1965, the United Kingdom and Guatemala agreed to have an American lawyer, Bethual M. Webster, mediate the dispute. Three years later, the Webster Proposals, a draft treaty to resolve the dispute, was publicly published. It included a shared governmental body, where Guatemala and Belize each put forth three ministers, and then a seventh person of "international prominence" was appointed as Chairman by the members. However, the draft treaty did not accomplish its goal, as civil unrest broke out in British Honduras after hearing the proposals, which led the United Kingdom to reject the draft.

In 1975, tensions flared once again, and Guatemala began massing troops on the border. The United Kingdom responded by deploying troops, along with a battery of 105mm field guns, surface-to-air missiles, six fighter jets, and a frigate. Following this deployment, tensions were defused, largely as a result of many Guatemalan soldiers deserting.

In 1988, significant negotiations between Belize and Guatemala resumed, with the United Kingdom as an observer. Guatemala recognised Belize's independence in 1991 and diplomatic relations were established.

Frequently asked questions