Belize is located in Central America and is home to over 334,297 people. Although Belize attracts many tourists and has an abundant rain forest, most of the residences of Belize live in poverty. Even though Belize has an abundant rain forest, it generally lacks in natural resources. Since Belize has a plentiful wood it produces fuel wood, firewood, and because of the subtropical climate and heavy rain, sugar cane. Belize is 8,867 sq. miles (22,966 sq. km).The mineral production includes small to medium and very rarely large amounts of clay, limestone, marble, sand, gravel, and gold. Belize is covered in many mangroves, swamps, and caves along the coast that give way to hills. It is forested with many various hard woods. The highest peak in Belize is Victoria Peak, which is 3,681 ft.
Europeans arrived in the 17th century. Belize was British Honduras before it was changed by Great Britain. Great Britain also saved Belize from British seaman that got shipwrecked and tried to rule over Belize. Belize became a country on September 21, 1981. Spain came in the 16th century. Spanish explorers in the Americas encountered two civilizations, the Incas and the Mayans. The people in these regions were a mix of tribes and nations whose achievements included well crafted pieces of art, breathtaking cities, and a unique approach to life. The Mayans are recognized for the creation of their calendar.
The history of Belize dates back thousands of years. Several major archeological sites such as Cahal Pech, Caracol, Lamanai, Lubaantun, Altun Ha, and Xunantunich reflect the advanced civilization and much denser population of that period. The first recorded European settlement was established by shipwrecked English seamen in 1638. Over the next 150...
... middle of paper ...
...d animals that were kept as pets by individual collectors. It enables visitors to see the native animals of Belize at close quarters, housed in spacious enclosures that closely resemble their natural habitats. You can find many sets of pottery, ceramics, and stoneware from the Mayans. You can also see what is known as the “Crystal Maiden”. It is called that because it has been covered in limestone crystals from the natural process of the cave.
The Belize Flag background is blue with narrow red stripes on the top and bottom edges According to Ancient and Heraldic traditions much symbolism is associated with colors. The colors on the Belize flag represent the following; Red - hardiness, bravery, strength & valor, Blue - vigilance, truth and loyalty, perseverance & justice. The Belize flag is described as Emblem - reflecting the central design of the flag pattern.
Spain emerged with a central identify in 1469. Until this point, Spain was involved in a civil war. Fighting ceased with the marriage of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand.(Bowen, 2007) Within a few decades, Columbus made his historic journey with Spain’s backing, and arrived at what is now Central America. With a recently unified identity, and the practically untapped resources of the land, Spain quickly started colonizing the continent.(Bowen, 2007)
Guatemala’s culture is a unique product of Native American ways and a strong Spanish colonial heritage. About half of Guatemala’s population is mestizo (known in Guatemala as ladino), people of mixed European and indigenous ancestry. Ladino culture is dominant in urban areas, and is heavily influenced by European and North American trends. Unlike many Latin American countries, Guatemala still has a large indigenous population, the Maya, which has retained a distinct identity. Deeply rooted in the rural highlands of Guatemala, many indigenous people speak a Mayan language, follow traditional religious and village customs, and continue a rich tradition in textiles and other crafts. The two cultures have made Guatemala a complex society that is deeply divided between rich and poor. This division has produced much of the tension and violence that have marked Guatemala’s history (Guatemalan Culture and History).
“Family is the most important thing in the world.” ~ Princess Diana. The Dominican Republic is a diverse country in the Caribbean. It shares many of the same values and norms as the United States. In order to fully understand Dominican Republic families it is important to look at their structure, traditions, and values.
Today more than six million Maya live in Guatemala Mexico and Belize. Modern Maya has brought their unique way of life. Their religion to has changed from idolatry to Catholicism, animal offerings. Tikal is a Visitor site with museums and hotels cover the space was camp of Arc.
The Spaniards arrived at the Americas prior to the English. The Spanish mainly wanted to explore in the first place because after the Black Death, the population increased, and thus, so did the frequency of commerce. There was a sudden new interest in new products and the new strong monarchs who sponsored the journeys wanted to be more affluent. Therefore, explorers such as Christopher Columbus attempted to go west to target Asia. However, he ended up on Cuba and called the natives Indians. The Spanish soon started to consider the Americas less of a blockage and could now see it as a source of resources. In 1518, Cortes arrived into Mexico with his group of conquistadors, or conquerors, which is a proper name because the men after gold exterminated native areas using their military skills, brutality and greed to turn the Southern America into a vast Spanish empire. The smallpox the Spanish unknowingly carried also helped wipe many people out. When they saw the religious ceremonies of the Aztecs that produced many skulls, they thought of these people as savages and not entirely human. This of coarse was quite hypocritical because the Spanish have killed before during the Inquisition for their faith. It was this contempt that made them think it was all right to slaughter the natives. Spanish colonies were established when conquistadors had gotten a license to finance the expedition from the crown to fixture encomiendas. These encomiendas were basically Indian villages that became a source of labor. The Spanish dreamed of becoming wealthier from South America, but they also wanted a profitable agricultural economy and to spread their Catholic religion (the Pueblo Indians converted to Christianity), which became very important in the 1540s.
One of the most intriguing findings on this site is that of quipu, an early means of communication. This is a system of knots and string wound around sticks used to record information. If the dating of these items is correct, it suggests that Caral may represent the earliest known settlement in the Americas. During the excavations, scientists also discovered 32 flutes made of condor and pelican bones. Other excavations produced 37 cornets made from llama and deer bones. Due to these findings, scientists believe that music played an important role in the society.
The four principal rivers, the San Juan, Coco (Wanks), Grande, and Escondido, empty into the Caribbean. The natural resources of Nicaragua are primarily agricultural. Deposits of volcanic material have enriched the soil, which is extremely fertile. About half the land is covered with forests. The country has deposits of gold, silver, and copper.
Teotihuacan is a city which often has many unanswered questions which historians simply don’t have the answer to, however, science and archaeology have assisted the understanding of Teotihuacan extensively. The mapping project which has deepened out understanding of Teotihuacan through showing the layout of the Teotihuacan, but mainly showing housing in reference to social order and societal structure. Science, in particular, the use of radiocarbon dating has been used to determine the age of skeletons in Teotihuacan, in the pyramid of the moon, which has changed our understanding of human sacrifice, discovering that many sacrificed victims were in the city
Where is Honduras located? What are some main landforms? What food do Hondurans eat? What language do Hondurans speak? How did Honduras become Honduras? These are all questions you might have, and in this paper all will be answered. You will learn more about the geography, society, people, their lifestyles, and the history of Honduras.
(1450-1750) America, Home to the Native Americans, home to the Aztecs, the Incas, and a lot of woodland creatures. This is where the natives home was, where they could farm and hunt and gather. But, everything changed for good when Christopher Columbus, trying to reach the East Indies, discovered the “new world” or America (1492). This sparked the age of exploration when rumors of the new world’s wealth spread. Later, in the 16th century, the Spanish built a large empire in the Americas. The Spanish conquistadors conquered the Aztec and the Inca empires. Spanish explorers traveled through the borderlands of New Spain, claiming and conquering more land. Some of these explorers include De Soto, Coronado, Cortes, and Pizzaro. Theses conquests
European countries have always been active in colonizing countries in Asia and the Americas. In 1495, Spanish colonized the Mayan civilization, creating dispute among the natives and the foreigners. The Spanish established privileges for themselves in the colonized land and forced their ways of living onto the Indians. Consequently, even after the independence of Guatemala, the Mayans continued to live under a suppressive rule for 125 years (Guatemala). This violated multiple articles from the UN Declaration of Rights, as they were deprived of religious freedom, education, and power. However, when Guatemala began to reform in favor of the Mayans by giving them land, United States lost profits as they
In the Central America, most notably the Yucatan Peninsula, are the Maya, a group of people whose polytheistic religion and advanced civilization once flourished (Houston, 43). The Maya reached their peak during the Classic Period from around CE 250 to the ninth century CE when the civilization fell and dispersed (Sharer, 1). Although much has been lost, the gods and goddesses and the religious practices of the Classic Maya give insight into their lives and reveal what was important to this society.
The Maya culture has a long history that started in about 1000 BC. The history of the Maya is divided up into four different time periods: The Middle Preclassic Period, Late Preclassic Period, Classic Period, and Postclassic Period. The Middle Preclassic Period was when the small areas started to become city-like in the way that they started to build larger temples. The Late Preclassic Period was when the cities began to expand with paved roads and massive pyramids. The Classic Period was the time the Maya civilization hit it’s peak. Populations were growing rapidly and the structure of politics was formed. The Postclassic Period was when warfare was on the rise and cities were being abandoned(Coe 2005). This paper will focus on the Classic Period due to the fact that that is the greatest time period in Maya history.
Barbados’s flag was chosen with much meaning and significance. The flag represents freedom and the breakaway from a colonized past. The flag holds three equal bands, blue, gold, and blue respectively. The middle band being gold, holds a trident head, this head is what represents independence, freedom and past disconnection.
Belize was once part of the Maya civilization; Cortes probably traversed the region on his way Hondura. The Spanish did not colonize the are. Buccaneers founded Belize City in the early 1600’s and were followed by British Jamaicans, who exploited its timber. Spain long contested British possession, but in 1859 Guatemala and Britain agreed on British Honduras’s boundaries. In 1940 Guatemala declared the agreement invalid. British Honduras was granted internal self-government in 1964, but full independence was delayed by Guatemala’s claim. Negotiations appeared to resolve that problem, though, and on September 21, 1981, British Honduras, as Belize, became the last British crown colony on the American mainland to achieve independence. However, the Guatemalan-British agreement did not hold, and not until 1988 did Guatemala give de facto recognition to Belize. A British force remained in Belize to guarantee its independence but nearly all were withdrawn before the end of 1994. In 1993 Manuel Esquivel, of the United Democratic Party, became Prime Minister.