History of Trinidad and Tobago

The history of Trinidad and Tobago begins with the settlements of the islands by Amerindians, specifically the Island Carib and Arawak peoples. Both islands were explored by Christopher Columbus on his third voyage in 1498. Trinidad remained in Spanish hands until 1797, but it was largely settled by French colonists. Tobago changed hands between the British, French, Dutch, and Courlanders, but eventually ended up in British hands following the second Treaty of Paris (1814). 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.

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the island- then called Kairi- was inhabited by the indigenous Arawak people, and Carib people. The island's proximity to the continent makes it likely that it was among the first islands to be settled. The island probably was taken by three migration waves from the continent.

The first contact with Europeans occurred when Christopher Columbus, who was on his third voyage of exploration, arrived on 31 July 1498. Columbus' "discovery" is significant because it marked the first sighting of the island by Europeans.

Trinidad is reported to have been densely populated at the beginning of the colonial period. Although in 1510 Trinidad was said to have the only "peaceful Indians" along the whole South American coast, demand for slaves to supply the pearl-fisheries in nearby Isla Margarita led to them being declared "Caribs" (and thus, fair game for slavers) in 1511. As a consequence of this, Trinidad and Tobago became the focus of Spanish slaving raids, primarily to supply Margarita's pearl fisheries.

...
Wikipedia