Guampedia’s Micronesia and World Milestones
A Journey through 4,000 Years
2500 BC
Ancient Egyptians Build Sphinx
The Great Sphinx of Giza, literally Father of Dread, is a limestone statue of a reclining sphinx, a mythical creature. Facing directly from West to East, it is on the west bank of the Nile in Giza, Egypt. It is the oldest known monumental sculpture in Egypt.
2000 - 1500 BC
Ancient People Settle Marianas
The Marianas are home to one of the oldest Pacific Island cultures. The Marianas were settled by seafaring peoples from Island Southeast Asia more than 3,500 years ago. It is uncertain whether the islands were settled in waves of migration or all at once, though it is known that the Marianas were continuously occupied by people who became known as CHamorus.
1240 BC
Moses Gives 10 Commandments to the Jewish People
The Ten Commandments, also known as Aseret HaDibrot (“Ten Sayings” in Hebrew) or Decalogue, are the first ten of the 613 commandments given by God to the Jewish people. They form the foundation of Jewish ethics, as well as civil and religious law. These commandments are mentioned twice in the Torah—once in Exodus and again in Deuteronomy.
1100 BC
Ancient People Settle Palauan Islands
The Palauan archipelago was settled in a series of migrations originating from Island Southeast Asia around 1100 BC. Palau’s geographic location made it an easy stepping stone into the Pacific from Asia.
1000 - 500 BC
Ancient Peoples Settle Yap
The first settlers in Yap were ancient peoples from the Malay Peninsula, the Indonesian archipelago, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. Some of the people of Yap’s neighboring islands are descendants of Polynesian settlers and as such, have significant ethnic dissimilarities from the people of the Yap main islands.
604 BC
Birth of Lao-tzu (Laozi)
Lao-tzu, founder of Taoism, was born in 604 BC. Lao-Tzu, also Laozi, (literally “Old Master”) was a Chinese philosopher and writer. He was a scholar, the Keeper of the Archives for the royal court, and is the reputed author of the Tao Te Ching, the foundation of philosophical Taoism. A semi-legendary figure and contemporary of Confucius, Lao-tzu is a deity in religious Taoism and traditional Chinese religions.
563 BC
Birth of Siddhartha Gautama
Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, was born in what is modern day Nepal. Gautama is the primary figure in Buddhism. He is believed by Buddhists to be an enlightened teacher that attained full Buddhahood.
4 BC
Birth of Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth, the founder of Christianity, was born around 4 BC. Jesus is a religious leader revered in Christianity, one of the world’s major religions. He is regarded by most Christians as the incarnation of God.
80 AD
Roman Colosseum is Built
The Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheater, opened to the public around 80 AD. The massive stone amphitheater was commissioned by Emperor Vespasian of the Flavian dynasty as a gift to the Roman people. Vespasian’s son Titus opened the Colosseum with 100 days of games, including gladiatorial combats and wild animal fights.
200 AD
Ancient People Settle Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae
Ancient people settle Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae from Island Southeast Asia, Melanesia and West Polynesia in different waves of migration. These islands were inhabited for at least 1,000 years before they were visited by European explorers.
570 AD
Birth of Muhammad
Muhammad was born at Mecca, Arabia (now in Saudi Arabia). He is the founder of Islam and the proclaimer of the Qurʾān. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet and God’s messenger, sent to present and confirm the teachings preached previously by Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets.
750 AD
Mayans Build Chichen Itza Pyramid
Chichen Itza, a large pre-Columbian city, was built by the Maya people around 750 AD. The archaeological site is located in Tinúm Municipality, Yucatán State, Mexico.
500 - 1000 AD
Marianas Pottery Transitions
The oldest Marianas redware pottery was small thin walled bowls sometimes decorated with impressively fine designs. Over the years, though, pottery styles changed. Pottery became coarser, thicker and larger. By 1000 AD CHamorus were making large bowls with thickened rims, many with combing marks.
1000 AD
Development of Latte Architecture
More than 1,500 years after the Marianas were first settled CHamorus developed latte, comprised of a stone pillar and a stone capstone. Latte were erected in two parallel rows of six to ten pillars and used as building foundations.
1000 AD
Polynesians Settle Hawai`i
The original settlement of Hawai`i was by Polynesians who migrated northwest from the Marquesas Islands, followed by a second wave of people that sailed from Tahiti during the 9th or 10th century.
1200 AD
Leluh and Nan Madol are Built
Two ancient stone settlements, Leluh in Kosrae and Nan Madol in Pohnpei, were governmental centers and home to kings and high chiefs.
1295 AD
Marco Polo Returns from China
Marco Polo, a Venetian merchant, journeyed across Asia at the height of the Mongol Empire. Marco Polo remained abroad for 24 years. Though not the first European to explore China he became famous for his travels thanks to a popular book he co-authored while languishing in a Genoese prison.
1300 AD
Dryland Rice Farming in the Marianas
Early historic accounts about the Marianas say rice was produced in large quantities in pre-Spanish times. It was used as a commodity for trade between islands and later, with the Europeans to obtain metal and other goods. The CHamorus were the only Pacific Island people known to have cultivated rice dating back to pre-contact times.
1487
Aztec Empire at its Peak
The Aztec Empire, or the Triple Alliance, began as an alliance of three Nahua altepetl city-states: Mexico-Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan. It reaches its peak under the rule of Ahuitzotl.
1492
Ming Emperor Rebuilds Great Wall
The Ming emperor orders rebuilding of the Great Wall as protection against northern invaders. Building the Great Wall began when fortifications, built by various states from 771 BC on, were connected by the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, to protect against incursions by nomads from Inner Asia.
1493
Columbus Completes Atlantic Exploration
Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer and navigator, completes four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain. Columbus first left Spain in August 1492 with three ships, making landfall in the Bahamas.
1494
Treaty of Tordesillas is Signed
The Treaty of Tordesillas is signed by Pope Alexander VI, dividing the world between Spain and Portugal. The Mariana Islands are placed on the Spanish side.
1521
Aztec Capital Falls to Cortés
The Aztec empire flourished between 1345 and 1521, dominating ancient Mesoamerica. But Hernan Cortés, with his formidable firearms and thirst for treasure, brought devastating destruction and disease, along with willing local allies.
1521
CHamorus Encounter Ferdinand Magellan
The first European encounter for CHamorus in the Marianas was with Spain’s Ferdinand Magellan and his crew aboard three ships attempting to circumnavigate the world.
1529
Álvaro de Saavedra Sights the Marshall Islands
Spanish explorer Álvaro de Saavedra came across the Marshall Islands on an expedition to find new lands in the Pacific and to bring back spice plants to Europe. He sailed from Mexico to the Philippines, making him the first European navigator to cross the Pacific Ocean from the Americas.
1529
Treaty of Zaragoza is Ratified by Spain and Portugal
This peace treaty did not modify the line of demarcation established by the Treaty of Tordesillas. However, Portugal gained control of all lands and seas west of the line, including all of Asia and its neighboring islands so far “discovered,” leaving Spain with most of the Pacific.
1545-1563
Council of Trent Convenes
The Catholic Church’s Council of Trent, prompted by the Protestant Reformation, issued condemnations of what it defined to be heresies committed by Protestants. The Council issued key statements and clarifications of the Church’s doctrine and teachings, including scripture, sacred tradition, original sin, the sacraments, Mass and the veneration of saints.
1565
Miguel Legazpi Claims the Marianas for Spain
Miguel López de Legazpi, a colonial official in Mexico, Pacific explorer and conquistador, led the 1565 expedition that visited Guam on its westward voyage from Mexico to Cebu in the Philippines. Legazpi claimed Guam for Spain, and was later granted possession of Guam and Rota by the Spanish King Philip II.
1568
Oda Nobunaga Moves to Unite Japan
Oda Nobunaga, a powerful feudal lord of Japan in the late 16th century, attempts to unify Japan during the late Sengoku period (Age of the Warring States), and gains control over most of Honshu. Nobunaga is regarded as one of three unifiers of Japan.
1568-1815
Manila Galleons Bring Trade from Asia to Mexico
The Manila Galleon (“Nao de China” or “Nao de Acapulco”) brings porcelain, silk, ivory, spices, and myriad other exotic goods from China to Mexico via Manila in exchange for New World silver. The Galleons stopped in the Marianas on the return trip to Manila, once or twice a year.
1580
Francis Drake, an English sea captain, privateer, slave trader, naval officer and explorer, was knighted for plundering Spanish ships and towns. He was the second explorer to circumnavigate the world in a single expedition, and was the first to complete the voyage as captain.
1588
England Defeats the Spanish Armada
The Spanish Armada, a fleet of 130 ships, tries to overthrow England and the establishment of Protestantism in 1588. The attack was Spain’s attempt to stop English interference in the Spanish Netherlands and the harm caused to Spanish interests by English and Dutch privateering. The armada was defeated, however, losing one third of the ships.
1602
Fray Juan Pobre de Zamora Jumps Ship on Rota
Franciscan lay brother Fray Juan Pobre de Zamora deserts a ship off the shores of Rota on his way to Manila. Although he was only in the Mariana Islands for seven months, he provided an invaluable historical contribution through descriptive written accounts of the lives, customs, and culture of CHamorus in the early 17th century.
1636
Manchus Establish Qing Dynasty
The Qing dynasty is established, becoming the last imperial dynasty of China. It ruled China until 1912, when it was succeeded by the Republic of China. It lasted for almost three centuries and formed the territorial base for modern China. It was the fourth largest empire in world history.
1668
Padre Diego Luis de San Vitores Arrives on Guam
Padre Diego Luis de San Vitores, a Jesuit, brought Christianity to the Marianas in 1668. He was killed on Guam just a little less than four years after his arrival, a death he welcomed because he would be considered a martyr in his efforts to spread Christianity.
1669
First Catholic Boys School Established on Guam
The Colegio de San Juan de Letrán, a boy’s school or seminary, is established in 1669 in Hagåtña by Father Diego Luis de San Vitores, the Jesuit priest who started the first Catholic mission in the Marianas. It was still in existence in 1899 when the Americans claimed the island.
1671
Hurao Rallies 2,000 Warriors on Guam to Take a Stand
Hurao, a Hagåtña CHamori (high caste) who, with the backing of the village makanas (spiritual leaders), was key in instigating a major battle. He rallied 2,000 CHamoru warriors to take up arms. This battle was the first mass movement by CHamorus against the Spanish.
1672
Matå’pang Kills San Vitores
Matå’pang from Tomhom (Tumon) killed Father Diego Luís de San Vitores, the Spanish priest who brought Christianity to the Marianas. At first a Christian convert, Matå’pang rejected Christianity because he saw that it was being used as a tool to control his people and obliterate CHamoru traditions and beliefs.
1676
Agualin Attacks Catholic Mission
Agualin (or “Aguarin”) was a CHamoru chief who led several revolts against the Spanish. He was from Hagåtña, but traveled from village to village to inspire other CHamorus to fight Spanish colonialism and Catholicism.
1678
Chief Metacom Resists British
Chief Metacom, of the Wampanoag people, stood up to the British colonists in America. Metacom used his tribal alliances to coordinate efforts to push European colonists out of New England. Conflicts over land use, diminished game as a consequence of expanding European settlement, and other tensions, were behind their dissatisfaction.
1681
Control of the Marianas is Transferred from the Church to a Spanish Governor
Spanish Captain Antonio Saravia was appointed the first official Military Head Commander (later governor) of Guam upon the authority of King Charles II of Spain. One of Saravia’s first acts was to persuade all the CHamoru leaders to take and sign an oath of allegiance to Spain.
1684
Hineti Stops CHamoru Uprising
Hineti, a clan leader from Sinajana, chose to protect the Spanish in hopes of improving his personal status and gain power. Hineti defended the Spanish against CHamoru revolts, and is most known for curbing a CHamoru uprising in Hagåtña in 1684.
1686
Islands named Islas de Carolinas
Spanish explorer Francisco Lazcano named Chuuk, Kosrae, Palau, Pohnpei, and Yap “Islas de Carolinas” after King Carlos II of Spain. For about 300 years after this, explorers passed by having little contact with islanders.
1690
Santa Marian Kamalen Statue Found
Santa Marian Kamalen statue is found in Merizo after the galleon Nuestra Señora del Pilar shipwrecked off Cocos Island.
1695
CHamoru Resistance to Spanish Colonialism Ceases
Priests working to convert CHamorus to Christianity are met with resistance. CHamorus accept some but not all of their teachings. Once Padre San Vitores is killed, soldiers are brought to subdue the uprising. Many are killed. A last battle a Aguijan ends in defeat and the Spanish gain control over the Marianas.
1698
Spanish Forcibly Relocate CHamorus from Saipan and Tinian to Guam
CHamorus fought the Spanish for control of the Marianas for almost 30 years. At the same time introduced diseases were taking their toll on people as they had no resistance to diseases. After the rebellion was quelled the Spanish forced CHamorus from the northern islands to relocate to Guam and Rota.
1707
United Kingdom of Great Britain Formed – England, Wales and Scotland
The Acts of Union, passed by the English and Scottish Parliaments in 1707, led to the creation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. The UK Parliament met for the first time in October 1707.
1776
Americans Sign Declaration of Independence
This declaration announced that the 13 colonies at war with the Kingdom of Great Britain would regard themselves as no longer under British rule. With the declaration, these new states took a collective first step toward forming the United States of America. It has become a well-known statement on human rights.
1783
The Antelope is Wrecked on Palau
A British ship, the Antelope, is wrecked on Palau. Storyboards were first made as souvenirs at this time. Lee Boo, the son of the Ibedul, ruler of Korror, Palau, was taken to London by a British sea captain, Henry Wilson, to learn more about Europe. He died of Smallpox there a year later.
1787
Trading Resumes Between Carolines and Guam
Ancient trading voyages from the Carolines to Guam are resumed after more than 100 years. Carolinians from the atolls of Lamotrek, Satawal, Elato, and Woleai sailed into Talofofo Bay in Guam. Luwito, the Carolinian navigator, said they had arrived in Guam using directions from an ancient chant.
1816
Russian Expedition Visits Marshalls
Russian Otto von Kotzebue leads a scientific expedition through the Marshalls. He stays for a month on the atoll of Wojja and leaves plants and animals with the islanders there.
1819
Freycinet Documents Life in the Marianas
Frenchman Louis Claude de Freycinet visits the Marianas, documenting the lifestyle, plants, animals of the time.
1820
Whaling Ships Frequent Micronesia
Whaling ships begin to appear in Micronesia, stopping on Guam for supplies and recruiting crew. Whales were hunted near Kosrae, Pohnpei, the Northern Marianas and the Marshalls for about 40 years.
1821
Mexico Achieves Independence from Spain
The Mexican War of Independence ended the rule of Spain in the territory of New Spain. The move for independence was inspired by the Age of Enlightenment and the American and French Revolutions. Social and political changes and a deep economic crisis in New Spain caused discomfort among the elite.
1824
Duperrey Documents Kosrae, Chuuk
French Captain Louis Duperrey at Kosrae arrives on a scientific expedition aboard the ship Coquille. He and his crew stay in Kosrae for ten days. They bring the first pig and metal to the island. When Duperrey’s expedition leaves Kosrae, it moves to Chuuk, where Duperrey makes the first map of Chuuk.
1836
Trading Mission from Australia to Pohnpei
Captain C.H. Hart and his crew sail to Sapwuahfik, Pohnpei aboard Lampton of Sydney, Australia, on a trading mission. Hart and his crew were chased off the island. A year later, they returned. Two days of fighting left most of the islanders dead.
1852
Protestant Missionaries Arrive in Pohnpei
American protestant missionaries arrive in Pohnpei. Congregational Churches were established on Pohnpei, Kosrae, the Marshalls and Kiribati. By the end of the century Congregational Churches were established throughout eastern Micronesia along with the Marshall Islands, Nauru and Kiribati.
1859
Palomo Ordained as First CHamoru Catholic Priest
Jose Torres Palomo is ordained as the first CHamoru Catholic priest. His parents died during the Smallpox epidemic in 1856 along with 5,532 others on Guam. Palomo was widely regarded as one of the wisest and most educated men on Guam and was fluent in Spanish, CHamoru, English, French, and Carolinian.
1860
Trading with Foreigners Becomes Widespread throughout Micronesia
Traders were in Micronesia at the same time as the whalers and missionaries, but it was around 1860 that trading activity became more widespread. Germans, Japanese and American traders mostly operated in the Marianas, the Marshalls, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Yap and Palau. Chuuk had fewer traders.
1861 - 1865
American Civil War
War broke out over the enslavement of black people shortly after US President Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated. The loyalists of the Union in the North proclaimed support for the Constitution. They faced secessionists in the Confederate States in the South, who advocated for states’ rights to uphold slavery.
1871
David O’Keefe Washes Ashore in Yap
Irish American David O’Keefe washes ashore on Yap after a storm wrecked the ship he was traveling on. He eventually brings about a new trade route in the region.
1875
Bartola Garrido of Guam Moves to Yap
CHamoru Bartola Garrido moves to Yap and opens a school for girls. She later claims the island group for Spain. She was a devout Catholic and deeply loyal to Spain.
1875
Marianas Trench is First Sounded
The depth of the Marianas Trench is first sounded by the crew of the HMS Challenger, using a weighted rope which recorded a depth of 4,475 fathoms (26,850 feet). In 1877, a map was published showing the location of the sounding.
1876
Alexander Graham Bell Patents the Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell receives a patent for his revolutionary new invention, the telephone, at age 26. Bell wanted to improve on the telegraph by creating a device that combined aspects of the telegraph and record player to allow people to speak to each other from a distance.
1879
Escuela de Niñas Opens on Guam
Escuela de Niñas, the first school for girls, opens on Guam. The teachers are paid from an endowment from Queen Mariana of Austria, Spain’s queen regent. One teacher and an assistant taught the young ladies, ages four to eleven. The curriculum consisted of Christian doctrine, reading, writing, arithmetic and sewing.
1887
Islanders Showcased in Spain’s Philippine Exposition
People from Spain’s Pacific colonies are taken to Spain for an exposition, including two CHamorus from Guam and two Carolinians. The Philippine Exposition was held at the Crystal Palace in the Retiro of Madrid, Spain. The buildings are still there.
1893
Women Granted Right to Vote in New Zealand
New Zealand becomes the first country in the world to grant women the right to vote. The governor, Lord Glasgow, signed a new Electoral Act into law making for a radical change. Many other democracies did not allow women to vote till decades later.
1894
CHamoru Families Move to Palau
A group of CHamorus from Guam move to Palau to produce copra in a joint venture with American trader David O’Keefe. Palauans allowed them to use land for copra plantations. The families stay on Palau until the end of World War II. Some married Palauans and live there still.
1898
Treaty of Paris is Signed
The Treaty cedes Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines from Spain to the US. Six months later Captain Henry Glass arrived on Guam aboard the USS Charleston to claim the island. Governor Juan Marina had no idea his country was at war with the US.
1898
Spain Sells Northern Marianas, the Carolines and the Marshalls to Germany
It was the end of the Spanish empire in the Pacific and as Germany wanted a colonial empire, they bought the islands. Kaiser Wilhelm II at the time was building a new high seas navy. Saipan became the administrative center. The Germans built schools, a hospital, and other public buildings.
1899
First Protestant Church Established on Guam
Two CHamoru brothers, Jose and Luis (Castro) Cusino, return to establish the first protestant church on Guam. They had left the island years before to work as whalers, settling in Hawai`i and becoming Protestants. Hearing that their birthplace had become an American territory, they decided to return to Guam to evangelize.
1901
CHamorus Petition US Congress
Guam leaders sought self-government through a formal petition, shortly after they became subjects of the American empire. It was sent to US Congress in 1901, signed by 32 residents. The petition asserted the belief that the conditions instigated by the new naval government and the structure of the government itself were defective.
1901
Insular Cases Handed Down
The Insular Cases, a series of opinions by the US Supreme Court regarding the status of US territories, are issued. They respond to the question of how American rights apply to those in US territories. In short, the opinions said that the US Constitution does not automatically extend to territories.
1903
Guam Transpacific Cable Station Opens
The first telephone calls were made through the privately built Transpacific Cable Station at Sumay. It was the first telephonic communications in the region. Guam was an important part of the East-West trade route because of its location, its deep water harbor and because of the plentiful fresh water supply.
1904-1905
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War is fought in which, for the first time, an Asian power defeats a modern European power. A victorious Japan forced Russia to abandon its expansionist policy in the Far East.
1905
First CHamoru Band Forms
The Insular Force Navy Band, also called the Guam Band, was made up of a mixture of mostly CHamorus, a few Filipinos and three Italian immigrants. The band played regularly at the Plaza de España.
1912
Guam Lepers Exiled to Culion Island
The Navy forcibly relocates 18 CHamorus with Hansen’s Disease (leprosy) to Culion Island, Philippines. They had previously been confined at a colony in Tumon. Most would never see their families again. At Culion, CHamorus found themselves in isolation, unable to communicate with other patients.
1914
SMS Cormoran Anchors at Apra Harbor, Guam
A German Naval ship, the SMS Cormoran II, sails into Apra Harbor in desperate need of fuel. As the US Navy refuses to give up their coal supply, the ship is marooned on Guam with its crew of 370 men. They were treated with hospitality and friendship.
1914
Japan’s Presence Expands in Micronesia
Japan takes control of German and Spanish possessions in Micronesia, including all of the Micronesian islands except Guam, which is under US control. The move was considered a political and economic necessity for expansion. The earliest Japanese migrants to Micronesia worked as traders and then as fishermen, farmers and laborers.
1914-1918
World War I
World War I was an international conflict that involved most of Europe along with Russia, the US, the Middle East, and other regions. The war pitted the Central Powers—Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey—against the Allies—mainly France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and, from 1917, the US. The Allies won.
1917
First US Shot of WWI is Fired at Cormoran
The first shot by Americans during WWI is fired over the bow of the SMS Cormoran as it is scuttled in Apra Harbor, Guam. About 370 crew members became prisoners of war and taken to the US. The four Chinese and 29 New Guinean crew members were sent back to their homes.
1917
English Declared Official Language of Guam
In 1917, Guam Naval Governor Roy C. Smith banned speaking CHamoru. He said English was the only official language and that CHamoru must not be spoken except for official interpreting. Speaking CHamoru was also forbidden in schools, playgrounds and baseball fields. Students were reprimanded and fined for speaking their native language.
1919
The Guam Hymn is Penned by Ramon Sablan
Ramon Sablan wrote the Guam Hymn, “Stand Ye Guamanians” while he was a young man. He later went on to become the first CHamoru medical doctor. He wrote the song in English as this was a time when the island was administered by the Navy and speaking CHamoru was discouraged.
1919
League of Nations Awards Islands to Japan
The League of Nations awards all of Germany’s possessions in the Pacific located north of the equator under mandate to Japan. Garapan, Saipan is developed as the regional capital, and numerous Japanese, Koreans, Okinawans and Taiwanese migrate to the islands.
1926
Guam Teachers Rally for a Guam Museum
The Guam Teachers Association begins planning for a Guam Museum. The teachers believed it was important to gather materials for future generations to know their past. They sponsored the first collection of natural and scientific specimens, works of art and literary curiosities for future study of the island’s history.
1930
A Bill of Rights Created for CHamorus of Guam
US Naval Governor Bradley supported CHamoru aspirations for citizenship and self-government. Bradley proclaimed a Bill of Rights for the people of Guam without waiting for federal approval. Despite Bradley’s efforts, however, US citizenship and a bill of rights for CHamorus were not approved at the federal level.
1932
Guam Museum Opens in Hagåtña
A small Guam Museum opens in Hagåtña under the direction of the American Legion. Artifacts and historical items collected by teachers and students were put on display and used to teach about the island’s history.
1933
Hitler Becomes German Chancellor
Adolf Hitler, leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party (or Nazi Party), is named chancellor of Germany. Hitler’s rise to prominence in Germany was spurred by the people’s frustration with economic conditions and the defeat in the Great War and the harsh peace terms of the Versailles treaty.
1935
Pan American Begins Regular Flights to Guam
The Pan American Clipper Service started flying a San Francisco to Manila route with stops at Midway, Wake and Guam. These were seaplanes that could land on the calm lagoons of the Pacific Islands. On Guam they landed at Apra Harbor where guests stayed at the Pan Am hotel, Sumay.
1936
CHamorus Go to Washington DC to Ask for Civilian Government
The 2nd Guam Congress sends Francisco B. Leon Guerrero and Baltazar J. Bordallo to lobby in Washington DC for citizenship. There was an island-wide drive to collect donations for the lobbying trip in 1936 with about $6,000 collected. With government funding unavailable, Leon Guerrero sold family land to help pay the estimated $10,000 cost of the trip.
1937
Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan Disappear in the Pacific
Aviation pioneers, Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan, disappear in the Pacific while attempting to make a circumnavigational flight of the globe. Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Fascination with her life, career and disappearance continues to this day.
1938
Anthropologist Brought to Guam to Study CHamorus
Anthropologist Dr. Laura Thompson is brought to Guam to study the CHamoru people at the request of the Navy. Thompson was stationed in Hagåtña but soon set up field headquarters in Merizo at the south of Guam. She wrote a book “Guam and Its People” from her findings.
1939-1945
World War II
World War II was a global war that lasted six years. The vast majority of the world’s countries—including all the great powers—eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. A state of total war emerged, directly involving more than 100 million people from over 30 countries.
1941
Guam is Invaded by Japanese
Terror gripped the people of Guam as Japanese warplanes bombed Sumay and strafed Piti and Hagåtña on December 8. A day later the planes returned striking military facilities and the Pan American Airways hotel in Sumay. On December 10 Japanese forces invaded Guam. American forces were outnumbered and the island was taken by the Japanese.
1941-1944
Japan Rules Micronesia, Including Guam
Peoples of Micronesia, including Guam, live under Japanese rule. The prosperous village of Sumay is evacuated by Japanese for their own use. 96,000 Japanese nationals live in Micronesia.
1944
CHamorus Forced to Concentration Camps
CHamorus on Guam are forced to march to concentration camps, as dozens of others are massacred by Japanese soldiers. They are confined in the camps as the Americans invade Guam. The Americans battle the Japanese all over Micronesia until WWII is finally over, with the US prevailing.
1945
US Military Begins Taking Land from CHamorus
When the Navy took back control of Guam the appointed naval governor immediately began condemning huge tracts of land, including whole villages. The US had flattened portions of Guam during the intense bombing, and now the naval government began changing the landscape of the island to build several military bases.
1945
United Nations is Formed
The United Nations, an intergovernmental organization tasked to promote international co-operation and to create and maintain international order, is established in 1945. It was a replacement for the ineffective League of Nations. It created the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and assigned the US to administer Micronesia at the time.
1945
Guam Celebrates its First Liberation Day
After World War II was over community leader Agueda Iglesias Johnston convinces US military leaders on Guam to support a celebration to commemorate the Liberation of the island from the Japanese. This celebration continues to this day as one of Guam’s holidays—Liberation Day, which is celebrated on July 21st.
1946
Rebuilding of Guam Gets Underway
Declared off-limits to resettlement, former Hagåtña residents move into areas where they had ranches before the war, especially Agana Heights, Sinajana, and Barrigada. Sumay was taken over by the military for new bases as was Fena, Tiyan and land in Yigo. Some 300 business licenses were issued in 1946.
1946 - 1958
US Tests Bombs in the Marshall Islands
Nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll began with a series of 23 nuclear devices detonated by the US at seven test sites on the reef, the sea, in the air and underwater. Residents were assured they could return home after the test but that proved untrue as the island is uninhabitable.
1947
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands is Formed
The United Nations forms the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands to be administered by the US. The Territory contained 100,000 people scattered over a water area the size of continental United States. They represent a variety of cultures and spoke nine languages.
Late 1940s - Early 1950s
Brown Treesnake is Introduced to Guam
The Brown Treesnake is introduced to Guam aboard a military cargo ship, probably from Australia or Papua New Guinea, starting the decimation of Guam’s native birds.
1948
Red “Blood” Border is Added to Guam’s Flag
While the Guam Flag dates back to 1917, a red border is added in 1948 to commemorate those lost in World War II. The addition was documented in the Guam Congress Bill No. 12 approved by Naval Governor Charles Pownall. World War II claimed 1,170 CHamoru lives.
1949
Guam Congress Walks Out
Guam Congress walks out as a protest against the US Naval Government and to underscore its quest for self-government. The protest drew nationwide attention. The walkout was the most openly rebellious act that CHamorus had committed against any of their colonial rulers since the CHamoru-Spanish resistance in the late 1600s.
1949
People’s Republic of China is Founded
Chinese leader Mao Zedong declares the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The party’s goal was an overhaul of the land ownership system and extensive land reforms. China’s old system of gentry landlord ownership of farmland and tenant peasants was replaced with a distribution system that reduced economic inequality.
1950
Organic Act for Guam is Signed
An Organic Act for Guam, created by US Congress, goes into effect and civilian rule begins with appointed governors. Carlton Skinner is the first appointed civilian governor of Guam.
1950 - 1953
Korean War
The Korean War, between North Korea (with the support of China and the Soviet Union) and South Korea (with support of the US), begins in 1950 when North Korea invades South Korea following a series of clashes along the border. Korea was split into two sovereign states. Both governments claim to be the sole legitimate government of all of Korea.
1950s
Rock n’ Roll is Popularized
Rock n’ roll, an original music style, is created in the US and evolves by the mid-1960s into the international style known as rock. The seeds were in place for decades, but they flowered in the mid-1950s when nourished by a volatile mix of black culture and white spending power.
1950
First Guam Legislature is Elected
The First Guam Legislature is elected in 1950. The senators passed major laws such as: a uniform wage law eliminating higher wages for off-island government recruits; the reorganization of the island court system; the establishment of a merit system for government of Guam employees and the Government Employees Retirement law.
1952
Territorial College of Guam is Established
The Territorial College of Guam is founded in 1952 as a two-year teacher-training school, established by Guam’s first civilian governor, Carlton Skinner. Its first president was I.G. Andrews. The College eventually becomes the University of Guam.
1954
First Locally Owned Financial Institution Opens on Guam
Joseph Flores creates a joint venture to found Guam Savings and Loan in 1954. He and his partners sold about 125 shares to start the first financial institution chartered on Guam and the first to be locally owned. It was also the first to sell shares to the public.
1955
Children are First Inoculated for Polio
Jonas Edward Salk, an American medical researcher and virologist, discovers and develops one of the first successful polio vaccines. Until 1955, when the Salk vaccine was introduced, polio was considered one of the most frightening public health problems in the world.
1962
Security Clearance Lifted on Guam
President John F. Kennedy’s Executive Order 11045 rescinds the Navy’s wartime authority to refuse entry to civilian visitors for security reasons. The action unleashed the island’s tourism potential and ushered in an era of unprecedented economic and social advancement. The security clearance program was highly criticized by Guam’s leaders.
1962
John Glenn Orbits the Earth
NASA launches one of the most important flights in American history, to send a man to orbit Earth, observe his reactions and return him home safely. John Glenn, the pilot, became a symbol of American ambition. In 4 hours and 56 minutes, Glen circled the globe 3 times.
1962
Typhoon Karen Devastates Guam
Typhoon Karen devastates Guam with wind gusts estimated up to 185 mph. Nearly all island homes were damaged or destroyed, leaving at least 45,000 people homeless and 11 dead. Communication and utilities were crippled. It is the first time US federal disaster assistance was offered, ushering in concrete houses.
1963
Civil Rights Rally in Washington DC
A civil rights rally is held by 250,000 people in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC to draw attention to continuing challenges and inequalities faced by African Americans 100 years after emancipation. It was also the occasion of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s now-iconic “I Have A Dream” speech.
1964
Congress of Micronesia is Created
US President Lyndon Johnson approves the establishment of the Congress of Micronesia. Representatives to the Congress are elected from the six districts of the of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI). The six districts were the Northern Marianas, Palau, the Marshalls, Yap, Pohnpei, Kosrae and Chuuk. The first meeting of the Congress of Micronesia is held in Saipan in 1965.
1965 - 1975
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The North Vietnamese army was supported by the Soviet Union, China and other communist allies. On the other side, the South Vietnamese army was supported by the US, South Korea, Australia, Thailand and other anti-communist allies. Bombing missions flew from Guam and many CHamorus lost their lives fighting in Vietnam.
1965
Anti-Vietnam War Movement Begins in US
The Anti-Vietnam War protest movement began mostly on college campuses and then spread to become one of the largest social movements of its time. Women’s rights, Black Power and Native people’s rights were all getting started at the same time. The protests attracted a widening support for several years.
1966
Peace Corps Volunteers Come to Micronesia
Peace Corps volunteers begin arriving in many islands of Micronesia. They shared western ways, both good and bad, helping along many social and economic changes of the times.
1966
Nauru Becomes Independent
Nauru becomes the world’s smallest independent republic following a two-year constitutional convention. Hammer DeRoburt is chosen as its first president.
1968
Micronesian Area Research Center Opens at UOG
Dr. Antonio C. Yamashita, president of the then-College of Guam, gathers noted scholars of Guam together to discuss the need to establish a research library in and about Micronesia in 1967. A year later the Micronesian Area Research Center opened. A law, written by Guam Congressman Richard Flores Taitano, provided funding.
1968
Congress Approves Elected Governor for Guam
The Guam Elective Governor Act by US Congress passes in 1968. It granted the people of Guam the authority to elect their Governor and Lieutenant Governor. Carlos Camacho, who was serving as Guam’s last appointed governor, was elected as its first Governor of Guam.
Early 1970s
CHamoru Language Classes Added to Guam’s Public Schools
A CHamoru Language and Culture Program is added to Guam’s public school curriculum under the leadership of Clotilde “Ding” Castro Gould. She helped develop the CHamoru language curriculum for the elementary schools and train teachers for the new curriculum.
1970
Carlos Camacho First Elected Governor of Guam
Governor Carlos G. Camacho served as not only Guam’s last appointed governor, but also its first elected governor after the Guam Elected Governor Act was passed in 1968. Camacho’s election in 1970 was the first time the people of Guam selected their own leader since the Spanish colonized the island beginning in 1668.
1972
Last Japanese Straggler Caught on Guam
Japanese Sgt. Shoichi Yokoi is captured by Manuel De Gracia and Jesus Duenas of Talofofo. He was the last Japanese straggler on Guam, having hid in the jungle for 27 years. The two Talofofo men found and captured him while they were hunting at night. He lived in an underground cave.
1972
Guam Gains Non-Voting Congressional Representation
US Congress passes a law establishing a Delegate of Guam. An elected official from Guam can speak on the House floor and introduce legislation though not vote. Antonio B. Won Pat became the first from Guam to take the oath of office as a member of the 93rd Congress in 1973.
1974
Guam Hymn is Translated to Fanhoge CHamoru
Lagrimas Leon Guerrero Untalan translates the “Guam Hymn” into CHamoru. Untalan was an educator, political pioneer and cultural advocate. “Fanhoge CHamoru” becomes the anthem for Guam. The original song was written by Ramon Sablan in 1919.
1975
University of Hawai`i Publishes CHamoru-English Dictionary
A comprehensive CHamoru-English Dictionary is published as a collaboration between linguistics professor Donald Topping of University of Hawai`i, Pedro M. Ogo of Rota and Bernadita C. Dungca of the University of Guam.
1975
Northern Marianas Approves US Commonwealth Status
The people of the Northern Mariana Islands decide not to seek independence, but instead to forge a closer relationship with the US. Negotiations for commonwealth status began in 1972 and a covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in a 1975 referendum.
1976
Guam Attempts a Constitution
Legislation authorizes a second Constitutional Convention to be held to make recommended modifications to the Organic Act of Guam. The proposed constitution incorporated social, economic, cultural, political and administrative reforms. It is rejected by the people who decided they must sort out their political relationship with the US first.
1976
Pius Mau Piailug, master navigator from Satawal, Yap State, was a teacher of traditional wayfinding methods for open-ocean voyaging. Mau shared his knowledge with the Polynesian Voyaging Society. With Mau’s help, the group was able to sail the Hōkūle’a, a modern double-hulled Hawaiian voyaging canoe, from Hawai`i to Tahiti.
1977
Northern Marianas Constitution Goes Into Effect
A new government and constitution go into effect in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Carlos S. Camacho becomes the first elected governor.
1981
Republic of Palau is Established
Palau opts for independence in 1978. It approved a new constitution and became the Republic of Palau in 1981. Haruo Remeliik is elected its first president.
1982
CHamorus Revive Traditional Canoe Making
Segundo Blas trains Rob Limtiaco and Gary Guerrero how to build a traditional CHamoru canoe, an art that was nearly lost. Together the men built a 15-foot outrigger canoe with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency (CAHA).
1983
Republic of the Marshall Islands is Established
Republic of the Marshall Islands is established and Amata Kabua is elected its first president. Independence is achieved in 1986 and a Compact of Free Association goes into effect with the US.
1983
Federated States of Micronesia is Established
Federated States of Micronesia is established. It includes Chuuk, Pohnpei, Yap and Kosrae. Tosiwo Nakayama of Onoun, Chuuk, is elected its first president. Independence is achieved in 1986 and a Compact of Free Association goes into effect with the US.
1985
Palau President Remeliik is Assassinated
Palau President Haruo Remeliik is assassinated as negotiations for a nuclear free Palau are underway. He served as the first president of Palau from 1981 until his assassination in 1985. The murder was never solved.
1986
Marcos is Exiled from the Philippines
Ferdinand Marcos is exiled from the Philippines after ruling for 20 years. He was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled as a dictator under martial law from 1972 to 1981. His political opponent’s wife, Corazon Aquino, becomes president.
1988
Palau’s Ngirmang Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
Palauan Gabriela Ngirmang is nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for her role in keeping Palau nuclear-free as the leader of a women’s organization “Otil a Beluad” (“Anchor of our Land”). She addressed the United Nations and US Congress in her efforts.
1991
World Wide Web Debuts
The World Wide Web debuts, popularizing the internet. English scientist Tim Berners-Lee invented the Web in 1989, writing the first web browser in 1990 while employed at CERN in Switzerland. The browser was released publicly in 1991. The Web has been central to the development of the Information Age.
1991
Nasion CHamoru is Formed
Nasion CHamoru is formed, led by Angel LG Santos, with the intent of creating an independence movement for the CHamoru people. Santos read a declaration asserting the right of the CHamorus to exist as a nation and called on the CHamorus present to sign this declaration.
1995
Adelup Protest for CHamoru Land Trust Act
Angel LG Santos begins a hunger strike to protest the distribution of land in the Land for the Landless program as it is open to non-CHamorus. Santos wants it placed under the CHamoru Land Trust. Two months later lawmakers approved a bill to transfer all land from the Land for the Landless program to the Trust.
1998
Google is Launched
Google, a web search engine, is launched. Two Stanford University students built a search engine that used links to determine the importance of pages on the Web. The idea was to organize the world’s information and make it accessible and useful. They found some investors and it was launched.
2001
Terrorists Attack US
Hijackers ram jetliners into the twin towers of New York City’s World Trade Center and the Pentagon, terrorizing the US. A fourth hijacked plane crashes 80 miles outside of Pittsburgh. More than 3,000 people died. Islamic militant Osama bin Laden and the al-Qaeda terrorist network are identified as behind the attacks.
2004
Tsunamis Devastate Indonesia
A series of tsunamis up to 100 ft high, created by an earthquake, flooded communities along the coasts of the Indian Ocean and killed an estimated 227,898 people in 14 countries. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history and the deadliest of the 21st century. Indonesia was the hardest-hit country.
2004
Facebook is Launched
The social networking service Facebook is launched in 2004. It was created by two Harvard University students to communicate with their friends. Later it was expanded to other colleges and then corporations, and by September 2006, to everyone with a valid email address along with an age requirement of being 13 and older.
2007
Apple Releases the First iPhone
The development of the iPhone began with a request from Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs to the company’s engineers, asking them to investigate the use of touchscreen devices with excellent synchronization software. Jobs also had Apple develop the iTunes software. The iconic cell phone went on the market in 2007.
2008
US Elects its First Black President
Barack Obama, born and raised in Hawai`i, is elected president of the United States, the first black man to lead the US. Obama, a Democrat, served two terms as the 44th President from 2009 to 2017. He previously served as a senator.
2008
Guampedia, Guam’s Online Resource, is Launched
After six years of development, Guampedia goes online. It is a community project that highlights the unique CHamoru heritage and history of Guam and the Mariana Islands. Through peer-reviewed entries and accompanying media, Guampedia provides an important educational and informational resource to those wanting a better understanding of the region.
2010
Lawsuit Filed to Save Pågat
Guam Preservation Trust and We Are Guahan join in a lawsuit with the National Trust for Historic Preservation against the Department of Defense over a decision to use an area of land adjacent to the historic and culturally-rich village of Pågat for a firing range complex for US Marines.
2011
Bin Laden is Hunted Down, Killed by US
A US special forces team, under the direction of US President Barack Obama, kills Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan, 10 years after he led a terrorist attack on the US.
2012
Palau’s Rock Islands Become a World Heritage Site
The Rock Island’s Southern Lagoon in Palau is added to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites. The vast marine site is recognized for its exceptional ecological diversity, coral reefs, lagoon, limestone islands and marine lakes. Since the islands are isolated from each other, 52 marine lakes are different marine ecosystems.
2016
Guam Hosts Festival of the Pacific
Guam is the site of FestPac. Every four years since 1972, the islands of the Pacific gather to share in a special celebration of the arts. Thousands participate in the festival for two weeks which showcases traditional arts other forms of artistic traditions unique to this part of the world.
2016
Guam Museum Opens
The Guam Museum, a government owned institution with a focus on the history of Guam, opens in Hagåtña. It is hoped to encourage people to engage in dialogue, to share multiple perspectives and experiences, and debate issues that concern residents today. The building was designed by CHamoru architect Andrew Laguana.
2016
Marshall’s Elects First Woman President in Micronesia
Republic of the Marshall Islands elects Hilda C. Heine, first woman president in the Micronesian region. She is also the first person in the Marshalls to earn a doctorate. She founded Women United Together Marshall Islands (WUTMI). Heine served as the Minister of Education prior to assuming office.
2016
Pohnpei’s Nan Madol Named World Heritage Site
Nan Madol, 99 ancient islets in Pohnpei, is added to UNESCO world heritage sites. The islets contain architectural remains dating from the 13th century. Nan Madol is located off the south-east coast of Pohnpei. It contains the remains of stone palaces, temples and tombs built between the 13th and 16th centuries.
2017
North Korea Threatens to Bomb Guam
North Korea renews its threat to attack Guam with missiles, warning that US President Donald Trump’s social media antics and military moves are pushing Pyongyang over the edge. The US responds by increasing the number of bombs stored on island. Tourism from Japan drops but increases from South Korea.
2018
Guam Museum’s Permanent Exhibit Opens
The Guam Museum’s permanent exhibit “I Hinanao-Ta Nu Manaotao Tåno’-I CHamoru Siha: The Journey of the CHamoru People” opens. It tells the 3,500 year story of the CHamoru people and of Guam. The exhibit has seven galleries that takes the visitor through a timeline of history.
2019
Women lead Guam: Maga’håga Leon Guerrero takes the helm
Lourdes Aflague Leon Guerrero is elected as the first woman governor of Guam. With her inauguration in January 2019 as the Maga’håga of Guam, all branches of the Government of Guam are led by women. Tina Muna Barnes is selected as the Speaker of the Guam Legislature, with 10 of the 15 senators being women as well. Katherine Maraman serves as Guam’s Chief Justice of the Guam Supreme Court.