From the mid-nineteenth century onward, the Pacific islands came under the rule of Britain, France, Germany, Japan, and the United States .
Why did Great Britain choose to colonize the Pacific region?
Britain was mainly concerned with the activity of its nationals, and it accepted control of Fiji in 1874 primarily because native authority had broken down . Sir Arthur Gordon, the island’s first governor, set aside the vast majority of land for Fijians, but he imported thousands of Indian indentured labourers.
Why did Britain establish colonies in the Pacific Islands?
Britain was mainly concerned with the activity of its nationals, and it accepted control of Fiji in 1874 primarily because native authority had broken down . Sir Arthur Gordon, the island’s first governor, set aside the vast majority of land for Fijians, but he imported thousands of Indian indentured labourers.
What Pacific islands did Britain colonize?
Britain’s Western Pacific Territories included Fiji (1877-1970); Tonga (1900-1952); British Solomon Islands (1893-1971); and more.
Were the Pacific Islands Colonised?
Since the first contact with Westerners, starting with the Portuguese and Spanish explorers, the islands have been colonized by various European and Asian countries . ... Japan annexed the island in 1914 and Pohnpei became a US territory after the defeat of the Japanese empire during World War II.
What areas of the world were colonized?
Modern colonialism
The main European countries active in this form of colonization included Spain, Portugal, France , the Kingdom of England (later Great Britain), the Netherlands, and the Kingdom of Prussia (now mostly Germany), and, beginning in the 18th century, the United States.
Why did Europe want colonies?
The reason European countries wanted more colonies was that colonies helped countries accumulate wealth and power . ... Having more land also gave a country more global power and allowed them to establish strategic military positions across the world.
Are Filipinos Polynesian?
Are Filipinos Asians or Pacific Islanders? Is the Philippines part of Southeast Asia, Oceania or the Pacific Islands? Officially, of course, Filipinos are categorized as Asians and the Philippines as part of Southeast Asia. ... In fact, for a long time, Filipinos were known as Pacific Islanders.
What is the oldest Pacific island?
The first staging posts are Tonga and Samoa . The earliest surviving trace of human occupation in these islands is about 420 BC in Tonga and 200 BC in Samoa.
Which Polynesian country is the oldest?
Archaeological dating places Tonga as the oldest known site in Polynesia for the distinctive Lapita ceramic ware, at 2800–2750 years before present.
Who owns Gilbert Islands?
In October 1975, these islands were divided by force of law into two separate colonies, and they became independent nations shortly thereafter: the Ellice Islands became Tuvalu in 1978, and the Gilbert Islands became part of Kiribati in 1979.
Is Fiji a British isle?
After nearly a century as British colony, Fiji became independent in 1970 . Today Fiji has one of the most developed economies of the Pacific islands.
What islands were colonized by the British?
The British West Indies (BWI) were the British territories in the West Indies: Anguilla, the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands , Montserrat, the British Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, ...
Which countries controlled most of the Pacific islands in the late 1800s?
Almost the whole of Oceania passed under the control of European powers and the United States between 1842 and the end of the century, with the exception of Tonga, which remained under British protection (from 1900) with a consul who was not to interfere in internal affairs.
What countries still have territorial claims in the Pacific islands?
Political status in the contemporary Pacific Islands takes several forms: Guam is officially an “organized unincorporated territory” seeking to become a “commonwealth” of the United States; American Samoa is a “us unorganized unincorporated territory”; the Northern Mariana Islands are a us commonwealth that, by many ...
How many tribes live in the Pacific islands?
Eight out of 10 Pacific Islanders in the United States are native to the United States. Polynesians make up the largest group, including Native Hawaiians, Samoans, Tongans, and Tahitians.
