Instruct: Given a question, retrieve relevant passages that can help answer the question.
Query: When did Trinidad and Tobago become an independent nation?
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.[1] Trinidad and Tobago obtained its independence from the British Empire in 1962 and became a republic in 1976.
The National Trinidad and Tobago Party was a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. It contested the 1976 general elections, but received just 115 votes and failed to win a seat. It did not contest any further elections.
When British rule ended in 1962, the Trinidad and Tobago Independence Act 1962 transformed the British Crown Colony of Trinidad and Tobago into an independent sovereign state, sharing its sovereign, Elizabeth II, the Queen of Trinidad and Tobago, with the other states headed by Queen Elizabeth II. The monarch's constitutional roles were mostly delegated to the Governor-General of Trinidad and Tobago.
The Trinidad and Tobago Independence Act 1962 (c. 54) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that granted independence to Trinidad and Tobago with effect from 31 August 1962. The Act also provided for the granting of a new Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago to take effect upon independence.
Trinidad and Tobago–British relations are foreign relations between Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom. Trinidad and Tobago has a high commission in London. The United Kingdom has a high commission in Port of Spain. Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Since the independence of Trinidad & Tobago in 1962, relations between the two countries have been mostly friendly and there are many areas in which both Trinidad and Tobago and the UK seek stronger ties for mutual benefit. There are also strong cultural and social ties between the two nations. In Trinidad and Tobago, English is one of the official languages, and Cricket is among the most popular sports. In the UK, Caribbean Carnival is hugely popular.
The Trinidad and Tobago women's national basketball team is the women's national basketball team of Trinidad and Tobago. It is managed by the National Basketball Federation of Trinidad and Tobago (NBFTT).
The major supporters' group for the national team is the Soca Warriors Supporters Club or the "Warrior Nation". The group is a non-profit organisation that is independent of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association. Formed shortly after Trinidad and Tobago secured qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the supporters' club was organised by Soca Warriors Online founder Inshan Mohammed and Nigel Myers.
Trinidad and Tobago gained its independence from the United Kingdom on 31 August 1962. Elizabeth II remained head of state as Queen of Trinidad and Tobago. Eric Williams, a noted Caribbean historian, widely regarded as "The Father of The Nation", was the first Prime Minister; he served from 1956 to 1959, before independence as Chief Minister, from 1959 to 1962, before independence as Premier, from 1962 to 1976, after independence as Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, then from 1976 to his death in 1981 as Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Rudranath Capildeo was the first Leader of the Opposition of Trinidad and Tobago post-independence; he served from 1962 to 1967. Solomon Hochoy was the first Governor-General and he served from 1962 to 1972.
As a member of CARICOM, Trinidad and Tobago strongly backed efforts by the United States to bring political stability to Haiti, contributing personnel to the Multinational Force in 1994. After its 1962 independence, Trinidad and Tobago joined the United Nations and Commonwealth of Nations. In 1967, it became the first Commonwealth country to join the Organization of American States (OAS). In 1995, Trinidad played host to the inaugural meeting of the Association of Caribbean States and has become the seat of this 35-member grouping, which seeks to further economic progress and integration among its states.
Established in 1962 after Trinidad and Tobago's independence from Britain, the TTDF is one of the largest Military forces in the English speaking Caribbean. Its mission statement is to "defend the sovereign good of The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, contribute to the development of the national community and support the State in the fulfillment of its national and international objectives". The Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force is made up of four distinct arms; The Regiment/"Army", the Coast Guard, the Air Guard and the Defence Force Reserves, which all fall under the authority of the Ministry of National Security. The TTDF has the world's only Military steelband.
Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago are two American nations with an early common history. Initially, both nations had been under control of the Spanish Empire. By 1802, Trinidad and Tobago became part of the British Empire. In 1962, Trinidad and Tobago became an independent nation. On 30 April 1966, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago established diplomatic relations. In 1982, Mexico opened a resident embassy in Port of Spain, however, in 1985 Mexico closed the embassy due to financial difficulties. The Mexican embassy was re-opened in 1995.
"Forged from the Love of Liberty" is the national anthem of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Originally composed as the national anthem for the short-lived West Indies Federation (1958–1962), this song was edited and adopted by Trinidad and Tobago when it became independent in 1962.
Past publications have focussed on Trinidad & Tobago and/or Caribbean business, culture or tourism, including the "Trinidad & Tobago Business Guide; the Caribbean Review of Books (CRB)" (now an independent non-profit entity); "Youth At Risk" (for the UNDP: United Nations Development Programme); "The Point Lisas Story; the Citibank Investment Guide to Trinidad & Tobago; BWIA's Caribbean; The ALM Caribbean Explorer; Hi-Time; Trinidad & Tobago Destination Guide; the Trinidad & Tobago Exporter;" and "the Trinidad & Tobago Export Directory".
Archibald was a member of the Trinidad and Tobago national team for the 1973 CONCACAF Championship to qualify for the 1974 FIFA World Cup when Trinidad and Tobago defeated Mexico by four goals to nil. The Trinidad and Tobago team had five goals controversially disallowed against Haiti and fell two points short of qualifying. He was first a regular with the Trinidad and Tobago national team from at least 17 November 1968/9 when it lost 4–0 to Guatemala in World Cup qualifying until 28 November 1976 when it tied Surinam 2–2.
Trinidad and Tobago lies northeast of Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. Trinidad and Tobago was a Spanish colony from the times of Christopher Columbus to 1802, when it was ceded to Britain. The country obtained independence in 1962.
After independence in 1962, the team changed its name to reflect the official name of the country, Trinidad and Tobago, and when the Shell Shield began in 1965–66 the team competed under the name of Trinidad and Tobago. They won their first title on their fourth outing, in 1969–70, and also won the next year's competition, but since then Trinidad and Tobago have only taken three titles in 35 seasons. During this time cricketers from Trinidad competed in the Beaumont Cup which had first class status.
The only participation of Trinidad and Tobago in the final stages of the FIFA World Cup came in 2006, when they qualified for the tournament in Germany, but failed to win any match and were eliminated at the group stage. Trinidad and Tobago became the smallest nation to reach the finals of a World Cup tournament, a feat previously held by Jamaica at the 1998 World Cup. They did very well.
The African National Congress was a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. The party first contested national elections in 1961, when it received just 0.5% of the vote and failed to win a seat. They did not put forward any candidates for the 1966 elections, but returned for the 1971 elections, in which they received 2.4% of the vote, but again failed to win a seat as the People's National Movement won all 36. The party did not contest any further elections.
Trinidad and Tobago first participated in the Summer Olympic Games in 1948, before they attained their independence from Great Britain. Despite being a small nation in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago has been able to place themselves firmly in international sports. In 1946, Sir Lennox O’Reilly organized the nation’s first Olympic committee. Trinidad and Tobago have participated in sixteen Summer Olympiads and three Winter Olympics (as well as two Summer Paralympics).
Grenada–Trinidad and Tobago relations refers to foreign relations between Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago. The two countries have historical antecedents that pre-date both countries' independence. These nations formally established diplomatic relations on Grenada's national date of independence 4 February 1974. 
Trinidad and Tobago became an independent monarchy on 31 August 1962. In 1974, a constitutional reform commission led by Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago Hugh Wooding recommended that the country become a republic, in line with almost universal national opinion. A new constitution was adopted on 1 August 1976, when Trinidad and Tobago became a republic within the Commonwealth with the President of Trinidad and Tobago as head of state.
On Friday August 24, 1962, Trinidad and Tobago Television was launched one week before the two-island state of Trinidad and Tobago became an independent nation on 31st August 1962 within the British Commonwealth. Mervyn Telfer, a former Radio Trinidad announcer, read the first broadcast, the 7PM News. The two channels to transmit the service to the new twin island state were channels 2 and 13. News shown during that first week included highlights of Independence Day preparations. 
As a member of CARICOM, Trinidad and Tobago strongly backed efforts by the United States to bring political stability to Haiti, contributing personnel to the Multinational Force in 1994. After its 1962 independence, Trinidad and Tobago joined the United Nations and Commonwealth of Nations. In 1967, it became the first Commonwealth country to join the Organization of American States (OAS). In 1995, Trinidad played host to the inaugural meeting of the Association of Caribbean States and has become the seat of this 35-member grouping, which seeks to further economic progress and integration among its states.
Peters' election to Parliament in 2000 was challenged by the People's National Movement (PNM). On nomination day, the PNM raised the issue that Peters and William Chaitan (UNC candidate for the Pointe-à-Pierre seat) were ineligible to stand for election on the grounds that they held dual citizenship (Peters was a citizen of both Trinidad and Tobago and the United States, while Chaitan was a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago and Canada). The law requires that candidates in General Elections should not owe alleigence to foreign powers. This law was a relic of the 1961 Independence Constitution, which did not allow dual citizenship. The 1976 Republican Constitution allows dual citizenship, and under a law passed by the National Alliance for Reconstruction government in 1987 Trinidad and Tobago nationals who gave up their citizenship (for example, by becoming a naturalised citizen of a foreign country) can re-acquire their Trinidad and Tobago citizenship simply by filing an application.
The Oath of Citizenship or officially Oath of Allegiance, is a statement recited by individuals wishing to become citizens of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Individuals who wish to become a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago do so through the Ministry of National Security's Citizenship and Immigration Section. The Oath of Allegiance is a mandatory step to becoming a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago.