Belize Colonial Records

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Belize

Colonial Records

Spanish Colonization (1506-1862)

In 1506, Spain explored the land that includes present-day Belize and declared it as part of the Spanish Empire. However, the indigenous population successfully fought off efforts at full-scale Spanish colonization. In the late 1700s, the Spanish granted the British the right to occupy the land in exchange for defending the country against pirates. British settlements began to arise, and in 1798 the Spanish attacked Belize in their last attempt to retain their land. Spain was defeated by the British, and in 1862 the region became an official crown colony and was renamed British Honduras.

Record collection	Years covered	Record type	Language	Who is in the records

British Colonization (1862-1961 )

The first British permanent settlement was founded around 1716 in what became the Belize District. The Spanish granted the British settlers the right to occupy the area in exchange for their help suppressing piracy. From 1862 until 1964, the region was an official crown colony called British Honduras. By 1964, Britain was only responsible for foreign affairs, defense, and security. The country's name was changed to Belize in 1973, and in 1981 it became an independent country.

Record collection	Years covered	Record type	Language	Who is in the records