| Belize is formerly known as British
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| | primarily ex-pirates who were no longer
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| Honduras and is a small country of
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| | supported by their governments who were
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| approximately 280,00 people. It is the
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| | now attempting to stamp out piracy. These
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| only English speaking country in Central
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| | settlers called for British support and
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| America and is a constitutional monarchy
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| | protection from the attacks by the
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| and parliamentary democracy that
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| | Spanish and remaining Maya populations.
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| recognizes Queen Elizabeth II as
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| | The most famous of the British armed
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| sovereign. Belize, as with other Central
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| | forces involvement was the Battle of St.
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| American countries (Guatemala, Honduras,
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| | George's Caye in 1798; it was the battle
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| El Salvador) and southeastern Mexico, was
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| | that marked the end of the Spanish claims
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| originally settled by the ancient Maya.
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| | to the territory.MORE RECENT BELIZE
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| There are over two-dozen documented
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| | HISTORYIt took some two hundred years
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| ancient Mayan linguistic groups in this
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| | after Spanish contact for Belize to gain
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| area, three of which currently reside in
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| | independence from Spain, it was in 1871
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| Belize. The Maya currently make up about
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| | that Belize was officially declared a
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| 10% of the population of Belize and
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| | British Crown Colony. After this time
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| include the Yucatec in the north near the
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| | both the population and economy grew
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| Yucatan border, the Q'eqchi in the south,
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| | significantly, the economy primarily
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| near Punta Gorda, and the Mopan, in
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| | centered around forest products of
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| western Belize near the border town of
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| | Mahogany, chicle, and logwood. The
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| Benque Viejo del Carmen.THE MAYA OF
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| | population increases included groups of
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| BELIZE AND EARLIERPaleoindian is the
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| | African, Garifuna, mestizo (a mix of
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| earliest time period recorded in Belize
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| | Spanish and Maya descent), and Maya
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| thus far (Ca. 11,500 - 8000 BC) this is
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| | refugees fleeing the Caste War in Mexico.
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| followed by the Archaic (Ca. 8000 - 900
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| | During the nineteenth and early twentieth
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| BC) and the approximate ancient Maya
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| | centuries a number of Indian and Chinese
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| Chronology that follows these preceramic
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| | indentured laborers arrived after the
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| periods include:* Preclassic - 900 BC to
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| | abolition of slavery, and Palestinian,
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| AD 250 (often cited as early as 1500 BC)*
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| | Lebanese, and Syrian Arabs also began
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| Classic - AD 250 to 900* Postclassic - AD
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| | arriving, fleeing the political unrest in
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| 900 to 1500* Historic and Colonial - AD
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| | the Middle East. It was in the 1950's
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| 1500 to PresentNumerous sites and
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| | that Belize backed a unique settlement
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| city-states existed throughout Belize
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| | with Mennonites from Mexico; this
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| that represent these time periods,
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| | settlement provides Mennonites with
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| notably: Cerros, Colha, Cuello, Caracol,
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| | sovereignty similar to what Native
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| Xunantunich, Cahal Pech, Lamanai, Altun
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| | Americans in the United States were
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| Ha, Lubaantun, El Pilar, Santa Rita, and
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| | granted.It was also in 1950 that George
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| sacred caves that include Barton Creek,
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| | Price led the campaign for Belizean
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| Actun Tunichil Muknal, and Che Chem Ha.
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| | Independence. As with other British
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| The occupational history of the Maya in
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| | colonies self-government was achieved in
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| southeast Mexico and Central America is
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| | 1964. Due to Guatemala's continued threat
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| endless especially since today there are
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| | to overtake Belize once the British
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| over 5 million Maya descendants and
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| | pulled out, Belize's true independence
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| Belize is certainly a portion of
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| | did not take place until September 21,
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| this.BELIZE HISTORIC PERIODEarly 16th
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| | 1981. Since Belize needed protection and
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| century records indicate that in AD 1544
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| | had no army forces a full time British
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| the Maya city of Lamanai, in northern
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| | army remained in Belize until 1994.Belize
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| Belize, was to be part of the Spanish
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| | is a fascinating country and immigrations
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| encomienda system (royal grant to a
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| | through the years have created a unique
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| Spaniard for the right to labor and
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| | multi-cultural friendly society.Laura J.
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| tribute a native population, they are
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| | Howard holds a Masters' of Science degree
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| also responsible for christianizing the
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| | in Anthropology with a specilization in
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| natives). Although there certainly are
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| | Maya archaeology. After researching in
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| early reports of Spanish contact in other
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| | Belize for five years after her graduate
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| areas of the New World, the documented
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| | work she now splits her time between
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| reference of Lamanai and the construction
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| | south Florida and Belize. She has been
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| of a Spanish church at Lamanai around AD
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| | active in Belize tourism and Maya
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| 1570 provide securely dated European
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| | archaeology since 1996, and now has a
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| settlement influence in Belize.The Maya
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| | unique ecotourism company, Beyond
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| society these first Europeans encountered
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| | Touring, that focuses soley on Belize,
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| were a very different population that had
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| | the ancient Maya, and natural history.
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| undergone many transformations since the
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| | Beyond Touring also offers an authentic
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| height of the "Classic Period". Contact
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| | cross-cultural experience that allows
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| in Belize with Europeans was detrimental
| |
| | clients to 'give back' to the wonderful
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| to the existing Maya through disease,
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| | areas they visit in Belize. The projects
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| slavery, and fighting. During the 18th
| |
| | Beyond Touring supports aim to provide
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| century through logging concessions given
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| | sustainable economic endeavors for local
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| to Britain by Spain the modern boundaries
| |
| | residents of Belize, specifically Indian
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| of Belize were created. Spain claimed
| |
| | Church Village, located in northern
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| sovereignty but did not settle the land.
| |
| | Belize and adjacent to the Lamanai
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| The British settlers at this time were
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| | Archaeological Reserve.
|
