Rwanda of 1884 assigned the territory to Germany as part of German East Africa, marking the beginning of the colonial era. The explorer Gustav Adolf von Götzen was the first European to significantly explore the country in 1894; he crossed from the south-east to Lake Kivu and met the king. The Germans did not significantly alter the social structure of the country, but exerted influence by supporting the king and the existing hierarchy and delegating power to local chiefs. Belgian forces took control of Rwanda and Burundi in 1916, during World War I, beginning a period of more direct colonial rule.
Trinidad and Tobago Independence Act 1962 Trinidad and Tobago Independence Act 1962 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. As a result of the Act, Trinidad and Tobago became an independent country in the West Indies achieving independence from the United Kingdom. The bill was first presented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom as the "Trinidad and Tobago