Belize History
Jerrilee Garcia, Alisha Cadle
Franklin Aranda, Louis Peterson
Belizean History
September 13, 2014
Mr. Paul Kelly
A history of Belize:
The theory behind the Maya existence is said that they have branched out North in to Europe and Asia. Travelling in a consecutive sequence, from Asia they crossed the Bering Strait into the North Americas then moved South. Today, Maya’s can be found in Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Western Honduras and El Salvador. Majority of them were still living in Belize during the 16th century when the Europeans dominated. The first European settlement was recorded in 1638. Around this year (1638), piracy along the Belize coast became common. It was until 1643 that the pirates began to raid along the coast and 5 years later (1648), Bacalar was abandoned/raided by the Spaniards. The abandonment of Bacalar ended Spanish control over the Mayas.
English buccaneers began cutting logwood on the Yucatan Peninsula/Southeastern Mexico for the extraction of dye in the early 17 century. Logwood extraction then became the main source of export for the English settlement for almost a century which led them to permanent settlement. Logwood cutters were usually referred to as buccaneers. Colonel, Edward Marcus Despard was appointed as superintendent in 1784 to oversee the settlement of Belize in the bay of Honduras (after settlers began returning to the area). African slaves appeared in 1724, where it is said that British settlers began importing them from Jamaica and Bermuda. Most slaves were born Africans, who were from either Benin, Congo or Angola. Around the mid 18 century, the slave population bloomed to around 3,000 slaves. It is said that in the 18th century, many slaves escaped to Yucatán, and in the early 19th century a steady flow of runaways went to Guatemala and down the coast to Honduras. The act to abolish slavery throughout the British colonies was passed in 1833 to implement two measures for slave owners. Yet, owners still
Franklin Aranda, Louis Peterson
Belizean History
September 13, 2014
Mr. Paul Kelly
A history of Belize:
The theory behind the Maya existence is said that they have branched out North in to Europe and Asia. Travelling in a consecutive sequence, from Asia they crossed the Bering Strait into the North Americas then moved South. Today, Maya’s can be found in Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Western Honduras and El Salvador. Majority of them were still living in Belize during the 16th century when the Europeans dominated. The first European settlement was recorded in 1638. Around this year (1638), piracy along the Belize coast became common. It was until 1643 that the pirates began to raid along the coast and 5 years later (1648), Bacalar was abandoned/raided by the Spaniards. The abandonment of Bacalar ended Spanish control over the Mayas.
English buccaneers began cutting logwood on the Yucatan Peninsula/Southeastern Mexico for the extraction of dye in the early 17 century. Logwood extraction then became the main source of export for the English settlement for almost a century which led them to permanent settlement. Logwood cutters were usually referred to as buccaneers. Colonel, Edward Marcus Despard was appointed as superintendent in 1784 to oversee the settlement of Belize in the bay of Honduras (after settlers began returning to the area). African slaves appeared in 1724, where it is said that British settlers began importing them from Jamaica and Bermuda. Most slaves were born Africans, who were from either Benin, Congo or Angola. Around the mid 18 century, the slave population bloomed to around 3,000 slaves. It is said that in the 18th century, many slaves escaped to Yucatán, and in the early 19th century a steady flow of runaways went to Guatemala and down the coast to Honduras. The act to abolish slavery throughout the British colonies was passed in 1833 to implement two measures for slave owners. Yet, owners still