Belize : tracking the path of its history from the heart of the Maya Empire to a retreat for Buccaneers, a safe-haven for ex-pirates and pioneers, a crown colony and a modern nation / Renate J. Mayr.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mayr, Renate J., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Belize--History.

Belize.

History.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

375 pages ; 21 cm

Place of Publication:

Zurich : Lit, [2014]

Summary:

The Case of Belize: Historical Happenstance in the Midst of Central America? Belize belies its geographical location: It is a sparsely populated English-speaking enclave perched between Spanish-speaking countries. The colonization pattern was very unusual and its diplomatic status remained ambiguous for more than two centuries until it became an official British crown colony in 1862 and finally an independent nation in 1981. Book jacket.

Contents:

Chapter 1 The Greater Area of Present Belize in Precolonial Times

1 Outline of Maya History 15

2 Ancient Maya Settlements in Present-Day Belize 19

3 Maya Society 21

4 Maya Economy and Trade Routes 25

Chapter 2 The Region of Yucatán and Present Belize in the 16th Century

1 First Voyages and Conquest of Yucatán 35

2 Colonization Efforts in Southern Yucatan and Present Belize 37

3 Social Consequences of Colonization 43

3.1 Decline in Population 45

3.2 Conversion of the Indians 47

3.3 The Development of a New Hybrid Religion and Culture 50

3.4 Development of a Powerful Resistance Movement - the Role of the Tipu Area in Present Central Belize 51

3.5 The Process of Hispanization 54

3.7 The Alteration of Ancient Boundaries and Ethnic Dislocations 56

4 Economic Consequences of Colonization 56

4.1 Spanish Interference in Maya Trade and Attempts to Establish a Monetary System 57

4.2 The Encomienda System and Its Economic Consequences 60

4.3 Depression of the Colonial Encomienda System and Its Consequences for Present Belize 62

5 Summary of the Spanish Failure to Secure Belize 65

Chapter 3 The Bay of Honduras in the 17th Century - With Special Consideration Given to Providence Island and the Mosquito Coast

1 A Retreat for Buccaneers and a Safe-Haven for Ex-Pirates and Pioneers 71

1.1 Terminology 71

1.2 European Historical Background of Buccaneering in the Caribbean 74

1.3 Belizean Waters - A Strategic Hideaway 79

1.4 The Beginning of an English/Scottish Settlement 81

1.4.1 The Connection with the Providence Colony 82

1.4.2 The History and Role of the Mosquito Coast 87

1.4.3 Origin and Structure of the Settlement's Population 101

1.5 The Possibility of the Existence of Maya Settlements 103

1.6 Etymology of "Belize" 105

1.7 Social Life of the Early Settlers and First Economic Activities 108

2 Consequences of English Occupation 111

2.1 Disputes over Sovereignty 111

2.2.1 The Bay Settlement - Its Importance for the Central American Merchants 116

3 Summary 119

Chapter 4 The Bay Settlement in the 18th Century

1 The Extraction of Logwood 127

2 The Extraction of Mahogany 133

3 The Introduction of Slave Labour 134

3.1 The Slave Policy in the Bay Settlement - Compared to the British Colonies in the Caribbean 138

3.1.1 The Different Nature of "Colonization" 140

3.1.2 The Different Nature of Work 140

3.1.3 The Higher Monetary Value of Slaves 143

3.2 Summary & Conclusion 150

4 The Shift from Logwood to Mahogany and Its Socio-Economic Consequences 150

5 Social Changes in the Settlement and the Forming of an Elementary Government 159

6 European Diplomatic Rivalries and Their Effect Upon the Settlement 165

7 The Problem of Sovereignty and the Important Role of the Mosquito Coast 171

Chapter 5 The Bay Settlement in the 19th Century

1 The Establishment of a Mono-Economy 191

2 The Bay Settlement Becomes an Entrepôt for Central America 193

3 Socio-Economic Consequences of the Economic Boom 199

4 Diplomatic Consequences of the Entrepôt Trade 202

5 The Abolition of Slavery and Its Consequences for the Settlement 205

5.1 The Social Conditions of the Former Slaves after Emancipation 207

5.2 Remnants of African Cultural Heritage in Belize 209

5.3 The Formation of a Creole Society 212

6 Maya Resistance in the 19th Century 219

6.1 The Maya War in Yucatán (Guerra de Castas) 219

6.2 Diplomatic and Socio-Economic Consequences of the Maya War for British Honduras 220

6.2.1 The Definition of the North-Western Boundary 220

6.2.2 Anti-Colonial Activities in the North-West and West of British Honduras 221

6.2.3 The Immigration of Mestizos 225

7 The Beginning of a Permanent Economic Depression 229

7.1 Socio-Economic Consequences of the Chronic Economic Depression 231

8 The Need for Economic Diversification 234

8.1 The Establishment of Sugar Plantations in the North 238

8.2 Further Attempts at Economic Diversification 239

8.3 Impediments for an Alteration of the Basic Economic Structure 244

9 An Official Colony at Last 248

9.1 The Role of Economic Motives in Establishing Colonial Policy 251

Chapter 6 From Crown Colony to Independence to Modern Belize

1 Towards Independence-A Long Process of Decolonization 259

2 The Gradual Extension of US Influence on Belize 270

3 Belize: Haven for Immigrants-Consequence of British Colonization? 277

3.1 Mestizo Immigrants 279

3.2 Mopan and Q'eqchi' Maya 283

3.3 The Garinagu 285

3.4 Mennonites, Europeans and North Americans, East Indians, Lebanese/Syrians and Chinese 292

4 The Difficulties in Belize's Multi-Ethnic Society 294

4.1 Friction Between the Different Ethnic Groups in Belize 296

4.1.1 Tensions Between Creoles Themselves and Antagonistic Feelings Towards the Garinagu 296

4.1.2 The Hostility Between Creoles and "Spanish" 299

4.1.3 The Creoles' Resentments Against Whites 301

4.2 Competition and Tensions Between Native Belizeans and Foreign- Born (Mostly Central American) Workers 302

4.2.1 Impacts of Central American Immigration on the Host Society and on Belize as a Nation 303

4.3 Socio-Economic Integration Difficulties of Central Americans, Garinagu and Maya 307

4.4 Positive Consequences of Ethnic and Cultural Pluralism 314

5 Belize, a Multi-Lingual Nation 316

5.1 The English Language in Belize 317

5.2 Belize Creole (Belize Kriol English) 317

5.3 The Spanish Language in Belize 320

5.4 The Garifuna Language 322

5.5 The Three Mayan Languages - Yucatec, Mopan and Q'eqchi' 324

6 Economic Developments in the 20th and 21st Century 325

6.1 Economic Development - Consequences for the Local Population 332

6.2 The Role of Tourism in Belize 349

7 We Have Come Full Circle 357.

ISBN:

3643904819

9783643904812

OCLC:

870978569

Publisher Number:

99959917081