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Christopher Columbus visited; named Trinidad island for three peaks at its southeast corner; island of Tobago named after local tobacco pipe
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The French captured it in 1781; the British took it back in 1793; the French regained it through the Treaty of Amiens (1802), but it was returned to the British in 1814. - See more at: http://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/trinidad-and-tobago/history#sthash.IDDydh5r.dpuf
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In 1797, the island surrendered to a British expedition and became a British Crown colony in 1802. - See more at: http://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/trinidad-and-tobago/history#sthash.IDDydh5r.dpuf
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The Spanish constitution was retained after Trinidad became a British Crown colony in 1802 - See more at: http://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/trinidad-and-tobago/history#sthash.IDDydh5r.dpuf
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Tobago was amalgamated with Trinidad in 1888, the laws of Trinidad were extended to the smaller island and, after a period, the revenues of the two islands were merged and Tobago’s debt to Trinidad cancelled. - See more at: http://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/trinidad-and-tobago/history#sthash.Y7vcZX67.dpuf
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In the 1920s, the labour movement organised trade unions, and pressure increased for greater local democracy and then independence. - See more at: http://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/trinidad-and-tobago/history#sthash.Y7vcZX67.dpuf
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The 1956 elections gave the majority to the People’s National Movement (PNM), led by Dr Eric Williams. Williams instituted further constitutional talks with the UK in 1959–60, resulting in full internal self-government and a bicameral legislature (nominated Senate and elected House of Representatives). - See more at: http://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/trinidad-and-tobago/history#sthash.Y7vcZX67.dpuf
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In July 1990, an attempted coup was staged by a militant Muslim faction, which stormed parliament and took Robinson and members of parliament hostage for five days and led to an outbreak of looting in poor areas of the capital.
- See more at: http://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/trinidad-and-tobago/history#sthash.Y7vcZX67.dpuf -
In 1950, the constitution was redrawn, providing for a legislative council of 26 members, 18 of them elected; a policy-making executive council of nine (five elected by the legislative council), and a rudimentary ministerial system. - See more at: http://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/trinidad-and-tobago/history#sthash.Y7vcZX67.dpuf
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In 1958 Trinidad and Tobago became a co-founder of the Federation of the West Indies, which aimed to become an independent country, but Jamaica withdrew in 1961, and Trinidad and Tobago also decided to seek its own independence.
- See more at: http://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/trinidad-and-tobago/history#sthash.Y7vcZX67.dpuf
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