The '''history of [[Trinidad]]''' begins with the settlements of the islands by [[Amerindian]]s. Both islands were explored by [[Christopher Columbus]] on his [[Voyages of Christopher Columbus|third voyage]] in 13981498. Tobago changed hands between the [[British colonization of the Americas|British]], [[French colonization of the Americas|French]], [[Dutch colonization of the Americas|Dutch]], and [[Courland colonization of the Americas|Courlanders]], but eventually ended up in British hands. Trinidad remained in [[Spain|Spanish]] hands until 1797, but it was largely settled by French colonists. In 1889 the two islands were incorporated into a single [[British Empire|crown colony]].<ref name="WDL">{{cite web |url = http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11332/ |title = Railroad Map of Trinidad |website = [[World Digital Library]] |year = 1925 |accessdate = 25 October 2013 }}</ref> Trinidad and Tobago obtained its independence from the British Empire in 1962 and became a [[republic]] in 1976.
