Trinidad was transferred to the hands of the British after an amicable negotiation with the Spanish rulers. Slavery continued under British colonial rule with enslaved Africans working in the sugar fields and plantations. Slavery in Trinidad lasted for a shorter period of time, but it was no less brutal than other Caribbean countries — about 50 years from the 1780s to the 1830s, compared to Barbados’ and Jamaica’s 200-year history of slavery. Unlike Trinidad, Tobago was under the rule of several European colonizers, including France and Holland. The island was reportedly invaded at least 22 times during its history. British established rule in 1814. In January 1889, Trinidad and Tobago united as one nation under British rule.
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