By the time the Spanish arrived, in the early 16th century, the numbers of Mayans had declined, and many of the remainder were sent to Guatemala or died of introduced diseases.
The Spanish then moved north to Mexico, and British pirates (who had lost their occupation when Britain and Spain made peace in 1670) moved in to cut logwood for export to Europe. In time, the settlers expanded inland to cut mahogany and cedar, and African slaves were brought over from Jamaica. Attempts by the Spanish to dislodge the Baymen (as the woodcutters were called) failed, but the settlers asked England for help.

In the 1827 Almanack the credit for discovering the mouth of the River Belize and making it his place of retreat is given to Captain Peter Wallace, a Lieutenant amongst the Buccaneers from whose name ‘Belize’ is said to be derived. But another theory is that the word Belize comes from the Maya word “balix” which means muddy waters.
In 1853 the Public Meeting was replaced by a Legislative Assembly (partly elected, and controlled by landowners), with the British Superintendent, an office created in 1786 at the settlers’ request, as Chairman. When the settlement became a colony in 1871 the Superintendent was replaced by a Lieutenant Governor under the Governor of Jamaica.
