CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE

TOWARDS AN INDEPENDENT

BELIZE

A history or knowing the time timeline of how your country became what it is today is important because we get to understand, appreciate and cherish life. We accept and grow on all what was build for us. As a nation we also, try avoid the mistakes as those; our ancestors. Our BELIZEAN HISTORY, takes us from the Mayas, to Slavery, the Garifunas, Political Leaders and most important our freedom; INDEPENDENCE!

WHY IS THE HISTORY OF BELIZE IMPORTANT?

200 - 800 A.D. -Maya cities flourish all through Belize.900 - 1000 A.D. -Maya cultural decline in Southern and

Central America1520s -Cortes crosses Southern Belize1530s -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 -Laborers 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.