DATE

EVENTS

B.C.

15000-7000

Nomadic Paleo-Indians follow herds of mastodons, mammoths, horses, camelids and bison from the Bering landbridge. Richmond Hill site established.

3000-2000

Early settlers domesticate plants near Pulltrouser Swamp, Orange Walk.

1500

The Maya spread through Belize during the Preclassic Period, 1500 B.C. to 300 A.D.

1500-1000

The Maya establish villages at Cahal Pech, Blackman Eddy, Cuello, Santa Rita, and Colha in northern Belize

600-100

Belize Maya increase trade between Montagua Valley of Guatemala and Olmec civilization of Veracruz.

300 B.C.-A.D. 300

Late Preclassic Period ends with all major achievements of Maya civilization accomplished, including mathematics, calendrics, writing, and the beginning of carved monuments.

A.D.

100-700

Imposing temple pyramids are constructed at Lamanai and Cerros. Maya civilization spreads to many new settlements and is fully established throughout the region.

562

Lord Water of Caracol defeats Double Bird of Tikal on May 1.

600

Caracol reaches its peak (occupied since 600 B.C.) with a population 115,000-150,000.  Belize Maya reach a peak population of ~1 million.

631

Lord K'an II of Caracol defeats Naranjo.

800

Ecological failure continues by deforestation as land is cleared for food production and hardwoods are harvested for cooking fires and limestone kilns to produce plastering lime.  Long periods of drought exist in some regions.

900

Nearly all carved stelae date to the Maya Classic Period, 300 A.D. to 900 A.D.

700-1200

Many Maya cities decline in northern Belize, whereas Lamanai and Santa Rita still thrive.

1200

Maya flourish to 1200 A.D.  Late Postclassic Period extends to 1502.

1200-1400

Maya cities in Belize increase relations with those of northern Yucatán. Murals at Santa Rita created.

1502

Columbus's ships pass along the coast.  First contact between Spanish and Maya is in what Columbus names the Bay of Honduras.

1511-1519

Shipwrecked Spaniards land on the coast of Yucatán in 1511. Maya sacrifice most, but one survivor, Spaniard Gonzalo Guerrero, marries daughter of Nachancan, ruler of ancient Chetumal (Santa Rita).

1515-1516

"Mayacimil," or "easy death," most likely smallpox brought by Europeans, kills many Maya within days of contracting the disease.

1527-1546

Spanish Conquest, leading to religious suppression, shatters Maya culture.  Spanish never settled in the area.

1550-1650

Spanish begin missionary activities in Belize and construct church at Lamanai.

1638

English seamen shipwrecked in 1638.  Pirates, buccaneers, and adventurers live in rough camps serving as pirate bases.

1640-1680

Buccaneers roam the Caribbean, marauding Spanish galleons and settlements for gold and silver.  Limited pirating extends to 1720s.

1650-1850

British woodcutting communities remove Logwood for shipment to Europe for production of cloth dye.

1697

Last independent Maya kingdom, the Petén Itzá at Lake Flores, falls under Spanish control. Several small villages in Belize continue to exist independently.

1717-1779

Spanish attack British settlement, destroy almost everything, forcing settlers to leave, such that it was hardly in existence 1779 to June 1784.

1763

Treaty of Paris, the first of two treaties signed by Spanish, allows British Baymen to continue harvesting Logwood in exchange for protection against pirates.

1765

Captain James Cook visits Rio Hondo and Four Mile Lagoon.

1775

Mahogany replaces Logwood as main export and remains so until the early 1900s.

1798

Britain defeats the Spanish in the battle of St. George's Caye on September 10.

1823

Garifuna arrive from Honduras, settling in coastal areas.

1838

African slaves are emancipated. Intermarriage with Europeans forms the Creole population.

1840

British Honduras becomes a colony of Great Britain.

1862

British Honduras becomes a Crown colony, with legislative control in London, administered by an appointed governor.

early 1900s

Population nears 40,000 inhabitants.  Export crops include citrus, sugarcane, and bananas.

1931

Hurricane destroys Belize City.  Economy is poor.

1935-1970

Sugar factory built on the New River in 1935.  Production reaches zenith in 1960, but demand from the United States crashes in 1970s.

1958

Plautdietsch-speaking Mennonites from Mexico move to Belize and Orange Walk, and as successful farmers produce most of the local food.

1961

Hurricane Hattie inflicts major damage, precipitating interest in moving the capital to Belmopan at the geographic center of Belize in 1970.

1964

Full internal self-government is granted in January.

1973

Country name changes to Belize.

1981

Belize becomes independent on September 21, 1981, the delay caused by territorial disputes with Guatemala, which to this day still does not recognize the new country.

1980s

Latinos from neighboring countries escape civil unrest and flee to Belize.

1991

Census shows national population of 189,392 distributed among origins of 44% Spanish, 30% Creoles, 11% Maya, 7% Garifuna, and a remaining 8% others including Mennonites and thousands settling from the USA.

2005

Belize population is estimated at just under 300,000 and increasing at an astounding growth rate of 3.5% annually, one of the highest in the world.