Social Studies

• Rights of individuals guaranteed by the Republican constitution of Trinidad and Tobago


  • Equality of educational opportunity
  • Adequate nutrition, housing and health care
  • Facilities and opportunities for recreation
  • Freedom to own and enjoy property without fear of being deprived by criminals
  • Freedom to worship according to beliefs and conscience
  • Freedom to associate and assemble
  • Freedom to express thoughts and opinions
  • Due consideration if physically or mentally handicapped
  • Treated with equality before the law
  • Respect the rights and freedoms of other persons without regard to race, sex or creed
• Citizens have valiantly struggled for rights they felt were denied in the past
• Struggles for social justice and acceptance


  • Disturbances of the 1930s
  • Black Power Movement of the 1970s
  • Bloody Tuesday (1975)
  • Attempted coup of 1990
• Canboulay Riots - 1881

  1. Plantation owners sent out slaves to extinguish cane fires

  2. Ex-slaves and descendants re-enacted the occasions on August 1st each year

  3. Revellers carried flambeaux and danced to drumming

  4. Government proceeded to abolish the Canboulay celebrations
• Reasons for government attempting to ban Canboulay celebrations

  • Lighted flambeaux posed a fire hazard
  • Dance of masqueraders considered lewd and obscene
• The survival of Carnival is due to the efforts of the masqueraders in 1881
• Hosay Riots - 1884


  1. Indentured immigrants from India brought religious beliefs and observances

  2. Muslims celebrated the festival of Hosay to commemorate the death of two grandsons of the Holy Prophet Muhammad

  3. Police threatened to ban the Hosay procession

  4. Muslims decided to challenge the authorities by going ahead with the procession

  5. Riots broke out between police and devotees
• Hosay festival is celebrated with pomp and splendour, and is a major tourist attraction
• Elma Francois


  • Assisted mother in harvesting cotton as a teenager
  • Became aware of injustices experienced by female workers
  • Migrated to Trinidad in 1919
  • Became a member of Cipriani's Trinidad Workingmen's Association
  • Founding member of the Negro Welfare Cultural and Social Association
  • Arrested and charged for sedition but successfully defended herself
• Elma Francois dedicated her life to the struggle for social justice and equality
• Audrey Jeffers


  • Provided free education and lunches for poor black children
  • Formed the Coterie of Social Workers to provide lunches for poor children
  • Built homes for the aged and physically disabled, and shelters for battered women
  • Established nurseries for poor women to leave their babies while they went to work
  • First woman elected to the City Council of Port of Spain and nominated to the Legislative Council
• Audrey Jeffers was awarded the Chaconia Gold Medal for Social Service posthumously
• Water Riots - 1903


  1. Rate Payers Association formed to ensure citizens were not heavily taxed

  2. Residents had water supply disconnected if leaking taps were found

  3. City authorities proposed to install meters to force water conservation

  4. Angry crowd gathered, stormed into the Legislative Chamber, and set the Red House on fire
• A Commission of Enquiry concluded that lack of representation of people of colour on the Legislative Council was a cause of the Water Riots
• The crowd became incensed when they were disallowed entry into the public gallery of the Legislative Chamber in the Red House
• The crowd was informed by the authorities that admittance to the Council Chamber was limited to those who were given tickets
• This angered the crowd even further
• The crowd's reaction


  1. Some began throwing stones at the Red House

  2. Others stormed into the Chamber

  3. The Red House was set on fire and completely destroyed
• The police reacted and in the ensuing riot, sixteen people were killed and several others were injured
• A Commission of Enquiry was set up to investigate the causes of the Water Riots
• The Commissioners came to the conclusion that one of the causes of the riot was the lack of representation of people of colour on the Legislative Council
• Consequently, a black member of the RPA was appointed to serve in the Legislative Council
• This is yet another example in the history of Trinidad and Tobago when citizens had to resort to the use of radical methods to fight for their rights
• stringent


  Strict, severe
• lewd


  Obscene, indecent
• fracas


  A noisy disturbance or quarrel
• valiant


  Brave, courageous
• incense


  Anger, enrage
• suppress


  Prevent the development, action, or expression of (a feeling, impulse, etc.)
• martyr


  A person who suffers or dies for a cause or belief
• mobilize


  Organize and encourage (a group of people) to take collective action in pursuit of a particular objective
• destitute


  Extremely poor and lacking the means to provide for oneself
• tadjahs


  A type of Hindu festival
• ensuing


  Following immediately
• sedition


  Conduct or language intended to incite rebellion against the authority of a state or ruler
• posthumously


  After one's death
• resort


  Have recourse to (a course of action or a source of help)
• Building a Nation


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• Evolution and Change


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• Independence


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