The History of American Samoa

The history of American Samoa from the Samoa crisis to the present, as divided into four sections. - Part One: Paradise Divided = Western countries fought for control of islands in the South Pacific, including Samoa. The stand off was settled with the United States taking the eastern Samoan islands, today referred to as American Samoa. - Part Two: The Naval Era, 1900-1951 = The American Navy administered American Samoa at the beginning of the twentieth century, bringing modernization measures to island, including a hospital, a nursing school, and new roads. However, the Samoans were still seen as lesser than the Americans, not having any legislative power and living effectively under martial law. - Part Three: Transformation = Following the end of the Naval Administration Era in 1951, the United States continued to administer American Samoa. In the 1960s and 1970s, the people of American Samoa worked to make their voices heard, as they ratified their own constitution, their legislative body, the Fono, gained more power, and they were finally given the right to vote for their own governor. - Part Four: The Future = Samoans look to the future, but with an aim to hold onto their Samoan heritage Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the American Samoa Historic Preservation Office, Executive Offices of the Governor, administered by the Pacific West Regional Office, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

The History of American Samoa

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