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Belize Under British Rule witnessed a gradual waning of the Maya civilization. There is no recorded evidence of the exact period as to when the British set their foot on Belize soil. The first people from Britain to come to Belize were mostly pirates and rogues. They used the favorable position of the land to develop it as a base for attacking Spanish ships. Belize had a dense growth of vegetation covering most parts of its land. Roughly from the 17th century these pirates started clearing the forests for the log wood. This illegal activity, however, was stalled following the Treaty of Madrid. The British rule in Belize in order to consolidate itself had to counter the forces of the Maya civilization. The British had to deal with the forces of resistance and a considerable share of their resources were exhausted in this process. Later the British also had to encounter the Spanish invaders who were equally interested in establishing their hold over Belize. There were frequent confrontations between the two colonial powers. The Spanish invaders had to finally quit their claims on Belize in 1798 following the disastrous loss in the Battle of St. George's Caye. The British formally established their colony in Belize between 1862-71. Belize ultimately managed to acquire complete independence from Britain in 1981.
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