An Exploration of the History of English in Belize
Because the economy in Belize is primarily based on tourism, the country depends on a labor force able to communicate English clearly. Education in English began hundreds of years ago with the colonization of Belize under British rule. Because of the rich history of British involvement in Belize, English has been engrained within their culture as early as the 12th century when British missionaries first encountered the ancient Mayan Civilizations located in Central America.
The formal history of the English language integrating into Belize began when the British gained control in the West Indies. In the beginning, little thought was given to education until the establishment of a British government in Jamaica in the 16th centrury. Despite the conflict between Spain and Britain in the 17th century over this territory, British missionaries began to settle along the Southern coast of Belize. There was an influx in the northern districts by mestizo and Mayans seeking refuge from the Caste War in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. Following the abolition of slavery in North America, a small number of indentured servants arrived in Belize. Education became very important as a means for occupational mobility for these servants and laborers.
Like many other countries, education was a missionary effort. In Belize it was undertaken by the Catholic diocese, specifically the Jesuits. Building hospitals, churches and schools was the top priority for the missionaries in the 18th century. Missionaries first occupied the territory in 1638, but it wasn’t until 1862 that the territory was recognized as a British colony, under the name British Honduras. However, disputes with Guatemala escalated in the 1960s, as the neighboring country claimed ownership of the territory. Throughout the 70s Guatemala made various threats to invade Belize, yet the British Honduras military was determined to make an agreement peacefully. In November 1980 the UN passed a resolution that demanded the independence of Belize from Britain, known as the Belize Act 1981. It wasn't until 2008 that Guatemala and Belize finally signed a treaty, submitting to the territorial agreement in which kept their ties with Britain.
Despite a long history of conflict within the territory of Belize, English was most commonly spoken. They had a foundation in Spanish due to Spanish conquest as well as neighboring Spanish speaking countries. But because of the strong colonization and British parliamentary overtaking, English became imbedded into the Belizean culture. Whether it be between the common folk, slaves or on military bases English was guided it to be the official language in Belize as it is known to be today.