history of guam

8/8/2019 History of Guam

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HISTORY OF GUAM

The history of Guam involves phases including the early arrival of

people known today as the ancient Chamorros, the development

of "pre-contact" society, Spanishcolonization

, and the present

American rule of the island. Guam's history of colonialism is the

longest among the Pacific islands.

Guam prior to European contact

Chief Gadao is featured in many legends about Guam before

European colonization.

Migrations

It is believed that Guam was first discovered by sea-faring people

who migrated from southeastern Indonesia around 2000 BC.

The original inhabitants of Guam are believed to have been of

Indo-Malaya descent originating from Southeast Asia as early as

2,000 B.C., having linguistic and cultural similarities to Malaysia,Indonesia and the Philippines

[1]

Most of what is known about Pre-Contact ("Ancient") Chamorros

comes from legends and myths, archaeological evidence,

Jesuitmissionaryaccounts, and observations from visitin

like Otto von Kotzebue and Louis de Freycinet.

Ancient Chamorro society

When Europeans first arrived on Guam Chamorro socie

fell into three classes: matao (upper class), achaot (mid

and mana'chang (lower class). The matao were located

coastal villages, which meant they had the best access tgrounds while the mana'changwere located in the interi

island. Matao and mana'chang rarely communicated wi

other, and matao often used achaot as a go-between.

There were also "makana" (shamans), skilled in healing

medicine. Belief in spirits of ancient Chamorros called

Mona still persists as remnant of pre-European society.

European explorers noted the Chamorros' fast sailing v

for trading with other islands of Micronesia.

Latte

The "latte stones" familiar to Guam residents and visitowere in fact a recent development in Pre-Contact Cham

society. The latte stone consists of a head and a base sh

limestone. Like the Easter Island statues, there is plenty

speculation over how this was done by a society withou

or metal, but the generally accepted view is that the hea


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the lack of population. Mata'pang himself was killed in a final

battle on the Island of Rota in 1680. Having been humiliated for

the incident that sparked the decline of the Chamorro race.[6]

The Galleon Era ended in 1815 following the Mexican Revolution.

Guam was host to a number of scientists, voyagers, and whalers

from Russia, France, and England who provided detailed accounts

of the daily life on Guam under Spanish rule. Through the Spanish

colonial period, Guam inherited food, language, and surnames.[7]

The American era

Capture of Guam

The village of Piti shortly after Guam's capture by the Americans.

On June 21, 1898, Guam was captured by the United States in a

bloodless landing during the Spanish-American War.

By the Treaty of Paris, Spain officially ceded Guam to the United

States. Since then, Guam served as a way station for American

ships traveling to and from the Philippines.

According to the 1910 Catholic Encyclopedia, Guam is 32 miles

(51 km) long, from 3 to 10 miles (5 to 16 km) broad, and about

200 square miles (520 km2) in area. It said "of its total population

of 11,490 (11,159 natives), Hagta, the capital, contains about

8,000. Possessing a good harbor, the island serves as a United

States naval station, the naval commandant acting also

governor. The products of the island are maize, copra, r

and valuable timber."

World War II

Marines cross a bridge in Agat during the liberation of

1944.

Main article: Battle of Guam

During World War II, Guam was invaded by the Japane

forces shortly after December 8, 1941. The Japanese im

renamed Guam, Omiya Jima (Great Shrine Island).[8]

The Japanese military occupation of Guam lasted from

1944 and was a brutal experience for the Chamorro peo

loyalty to the United States became a point of contentio

Japanese. All surviving American military personnel an

were evacuated to internment camps in Japan. Several A

servicemen remained on the island, however, and were

the Chamorro people. All of these servicemen were fouexecuted by Japanese forces in 1942, except for Navy r

George Ray Tweed. Tweed managed to successfully ev

Japanese forces with considerable assistance from the C

community. He was picked up by a U.S. Navy destroye

10, 1944, shortly before the Battle of Guam.


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Delegate Act saw the creation of the "Status Commission" by the

Twelfth Guam Legislature.

This was followed by the establishment of the "Second Political

Status Commission" in 1975 and the Guam "Commission on Self-

Determination" (CSD) in 1980. The Twenty-Fourth Guam

Legislature established the "Commission on Decolonization" in

1996 to enhance CSD's ongoing studies of various political status

options and public education campaigns.

These efforts enabled the CSD, barely two years after its creation,

to organize Guam's first political status referendum on January 12,

1982. Forty-nine percent, or almost half, of all Guam residents

who voted, chose a closer relationship with the United States via

Commonwealth.

Twenty-six percent voted Statehood, while ten percent voted for

the Status Quo (Unincorporated territory). A subsequent run-off

election held between Commonwealth and Statehood saw seventy-

three percent, or nearly three-fourth's, of Guam voters choosing

Commonwealth over Statehood (27%). Today, Guam remains anunincorporated territory despite referendums and a United Nations

mandate to establish a permanent status for the island.

Contemporary GuamGuam contains several military bases including the Uni

Naval Station on the Orote Peninsula shown here.

Guam's U.S. military installations remain among the m

strategically vital in the Pacific Ocean. When the Uniteclosed its Naval and Air Force bases in the Philippines

expiration of their leases in the early 1990s, many of th

stationed there were relocated to Guam.

The removal of Guam's security clearance by President

Kennedy in 1963 allowed for the development of a touindustry. The island's rapid economic development was

by rapid growth in this industry as well as increased U.

Government spending during the 1980s and 1990s.

The Asian economic crisis of the late 1990s, which hit

particularly hard, severely affected Guam's tourism indMilitary cutbacks in the 1990s also disrupted the island

Economic recovery was further hampered by devastatio

Super typhoonsPaka in 1997 and Pongsona in 2002, as

effects of the September 11 terrorist attacks on tourism


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There are signs that Guam is recovering from these setbacks. The

increased arrivals of Japanese tourists reflect that country's

economic recovery, as well as Guam's enduring appeal as a

weekend tropical retreat. U.S. military spending has dramatically

increased as part of the War on Terrorism.

Recent proposals to strengthen U.S. military facilities, including

negotiations to transfer 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa, also

indicate renewed interest in Guam by the U.S. military. American

forces are scheduled to relocate from Okinawa to Guam beginning

in 2012 or 2013.

"Cosmopolitan" Guam poses particular challenges for Chamorros

struggling to preserve their culture and identity in the face of

acculturation. The increasing numbers of Chamorros, especiallyChamorro youth, relocating to the U.S. Mainland has further

complicated both definition and preservation of Chamorro identity.

BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN GUAM


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CLIMATEOF GUAM

Guam's climate is pleasantly warm year-round. The me

temperature is 81 degrees; generally, the range is from

to the middle 80s. The coolest and least humid months,

prevailing westerly tradewinds, are in December throug

Although the warmest months are from March through

refreshing trade winds blow steadily. The annual rainfato 110 inches. There are two seasons, the dry and the ra

dry season, "fanumnangan," begins in December throug

The rainy season, "fanuchanan," falls within the remain

Weather jan feb mar apr may jun jul aug sep oc

Avg

Fahrenhe

it

76 77 78 79 79 80 80 80 79 80

Avg

Centigra

de

24 25 26 26 26 27 27 27 26 27

rainfall

inches5.16 4.26 2.97 4.03 4.49 5.19 9.59

12.1

6

14.0

8

14

0

real

humidity

77 76 75 74 73 76 76 81 81 80


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%

sunshine

hrs/day

11.1

5

11.3

0

11.5

1

12.1

6

12.4

0

12.5

8

13.0

0

12.4

7

12.2

4

12.0

0

11.3

5

11.1

8

Storms are generally grouped as:

y Tropical Depression. Maximum sustained winds of less than 40miles/hr.

y Tropical Storm. Maximum sustained winds greater than 40 and lessthan 75 miles.

y Typhoon: Maximum sustained winds greater than 75 and less than150 miles per hour.

y Super Typhoon: Maximum sustained winds greater than 150 milesper hour.

The wind conditions are defined in one of four categories:

y Condition Four. Guam is always in Condition Four, which means atyphoon can strike within 72 hours.

y ConditionThree. A typhoon can strike within 48 hours. Generalpreparations should be started.

y ConditionTwo: A typhoon can strike within 24 hours. All non-essential government agencies, including schools and the military,close. Residents are advised to go home and prepare for the storm. All

women who are 36 or more weeks pregnant should go to the hospitalbecause the atmospheric depression can cause pre-mature labor.

y Condition One: A typhoon is imminent and may strike within 12hours. Only emergency traffic is allowed on roadways.


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