Why did the British come to Trinidad?

Why did the British come to Trinidad?

After Trinidad became a British colony in 1797, the plantation development begun by the French settlers continued. British planters arrived from the older colonies, often with their slaves, and British capital helped to expand the sugar industry.

Who was the first Europeans to come to Trinidad?

Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus landed on Trinidad, which he named for the Holy Trinity, in 1498 and found a land quietly inhabited by the Arawak and Carib Indians. It was nearly a century later that Europeans began to settle Trinidad (called “leri&—land of the hummingbird—by the Amerindians).

Who came to Trinidad first?

The first settlers in Trinidad and Tobago are reported to have been two First Peoples (aka Amerindian) tribes as early as 5000BC, often described as the Arawaks and the Caribs, though new research has provided a number of alternative narratives.

When did the first slaves arrive in Trinidad?

In 1606, four hundred and seventy (470) enslaved Africans were brought to Trinidad by Dutch slaver Isaac Duverne. This was the first recorded instance of enslaved Africans being brought to the island.

How long did slavery last in Trinidad?

First, Trinidad was a slave society—that is, a society in which slavery was the dominant labour system and social institution—for a fairly short period, about fifty years, from the 1780s to the 1830s.

Is Trinidad still a British colony?

Trinidad remained in Spanish hands until 1797, but it was largely settled by French colonists. In 1889 the two islands were incorporated into a single crown colony. Trinidad and Tobago obtained its independence from the British Empire in 1962 and became a republic in 1976.

What was the original name of Trinidad?

Name. The original name for the island in the Arawaks’ language was Iëre which meant “Land of the Hummingbird”. Christopher Columbus renamed it La Isla de la Trinidad (‘The Island of the Trinity’), fulfilling a vow he had made before setting out on his third voyage. This has since been shortened to Trinidad.

Was there slavery in Trinidad?

Under British rule, Trinidad’s development as a sugar colony continued, although in 1806–07 the slave trade was completely prohibited. Slavery was abolished in two stages between 1834 and 1838, and the sugarcane planters were unable to secure the steady, tractable, and cheap labour they wanted.

Why does Trinidad have Indians?

Indians came to Trinidad and Tobago as indentured labourers to work on the sugar plantations after the abolition of slavery in 1833. These men and women wanted to escape and the British offered them indentureship as a chance to flee to greener pastures.

Who came to Trinidad in 1797?

On February 18, 1797, a fleet of 18 British warships under the command of Sir Ralph Abercromby invaded and took the Island of Trinidad. Within a few days the last Spanish Governor, Don José María Chacón surrendered the island to Abercromby.

How long did slavery last in the Caribbean?

The British slave trade officially ended in 1807, making the buying and selling of slaves from Africa illegal; however, slavery itself had not ended. It was not until 1 August 1834 that slavery ended in the British Caribbean following legislation passed the previous year.

Was there slaves in Trinidad?

An overview of the populations statistics in 1838, however, clearly reveals the contrast between Trinidad and its neighbouring islands: upon emancipation of the slaves in 1838, Trinidad had only 17,439 slaves, with 80% of slave owners having fewer than 10 slaves each.

When did the British take Trinidad from Spain?

Trinidad ceded to the United Kingdom (1802). On February 18, 1797, a fleet of 18 British warships under the command of Sir Ralph Abercromby invaded and took the Island of Trinidad. Within a few days the last Spanish Governor, Don José María Chacón surrendered the island to Abercromby.

Who was in charge of the invasion of Trinidad in 1797?

On February 18, 1797, a fleet of 18 British warships under the command of Sir Ralph Abercromby invaded and took the Island of Trinidad. Within a few days the last Spanish Governor, Don José María Chacón surrendered the island to Abercromby.

When did the first people arrive in Trinidad and Tobago?

Around 250 BCE the first ceramic-using people in the Caribbean, the Saladoid people, entered Trinidad and Tobago. Earliest evidence of these people come from around 2100 BCE along the banks of the Orinoco River in Venezuela.

Where did the barrancoids settle in Trinidad and Tobago?

After 250 CE a third group, called the Barrancoid people settled in southern Trinidad and Tobago after migrating up the Orinoco River toward the sea. The oldest Barrancoid settlement appears to have been at Erin, on the south coast.