A Brief History
of
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago was
originally populated by the Igneri, a relatively peaceful Arawak subgroup,
and by Caribs. Explorer Christopher Columbus stumbled upon Trinidad and
Tobago in 1498. Since then, the two islands have been a source of contention
for the French, Dutch, British, and Spanish. Trinidad was long used as
a source for Caribbean slaves, so the island was fiercely guarded. In contrast,
Tobago was nearly deserted by the Spanish. In 1592 an inland capital was
established at San Jose (later St. Joseph), stimulating interest in the
cultivation of tobacco and cocoa. In the mid-18th century, plagues swept
the area, devastating the settlement and forcing the Spanish governor to
move to a coastal location less vulnerable to jungle disease and raids
by indigenous peoples. Port of Spain developed slowly, attracting settlers
and Christian missionaries. Both tobacco and cocoa production soon fell
into disfavor, the former a victim of competition among the northern islands,
the latter a victim of blight. In 1776 the Spanish government offered land
grants and tax incentives to Roman Catholic settlers; in response, numerous
French planters from French Caribbean countries poured in to establish
farms. By the end of the century, prosperous French settlers had gained
control of the government, spreading their culture throughout the island.
During the Napoleonic Wars in 1797, the British sent a fleet to Trinidad,
which swiftly overcame resident Spaniards preoccupied with suppressing
Native Americans. In 1815 Tobago itself came under British control and
was made a ward of Trinidad in 1897.
In the 1970s offshore petroleum
discoveries propelled Trinidad to the enviable status of the wealthiest
nation in the Caribbean. Literacy rose to 90 percent, roads were paved,
electricity installed. Signs of abject poverty, common among Caribbean
nations, nearly disappeared. In 1962 Eric Williams, leader of the People's
National Movement in its struggle for independence from British rule, vowed
to avoid what he called the mistakes of his Caribbean neighbors. He defined
this as servile catering to tourists. As a result, the tourism industry
was undeveloped for several decades. However, during the mid-1980s, resources
plummeted, and the challenge of the Trinidadian government in this decade
will be to reestablish economic stability and ensure conservation of the
island's natural resources.
SOURCE: Expedia.com
The
Carib (Indigineous People)Population of Trinidad
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