The edict of 1783 invited persons of either gender and of the
Roman Catholic faith to
Trinidad who would swear loyalty to the Spanish Crown to receive land allotments in sizes depending on their race and heritage. The Cedula of Population of 1783 laid the foundation and growth of the population of
Trinidad. The Spanish, who possessed the island, contributed little towards advancements, with El Dorado the focus; Trinidad was perfect due to its geographical location. French planters with their slaves, free persons of color, and mulattos from neighboring islands of
Grenada,
Martinique,
Guadeloupe, and
Dominica migrated to Trinidad during the French Revolution. The Spanish also gave many incentives to lure settlers to the island, including exemption from taxes for ten years and land grants per the terms set out in the Cedula. These new immigrants establishing local communities of
Blanchisseuse, Champs Fleurs, Cascade,
Carenage and
Laventille. Trinidad's population jumped from just under 1,400 in 1777 to over 15,000 by the end of 1789. Upon the capture of Trinidad by the British in 1797, the Cedula of Population became a paramount document that established the legal status of the free persons of color in Trinidad in the declaration of capitulation. In particular, it protected their "liberty, persons and property like other inhabitants." in the British crown colony. ==References==