| Guam was first discovered and inhabited by | | | | war. (Spain later sold the Northern Mariana |
| sea-faring people who came from Asia | | | | Islands to Germany). |
| (possibly Indonesia or the Philippines), | | | | |
| around about 2000 BC. These people, the | | | | During World War II, Japanese forces invaded |
| Chamorros, developed a complex society, and | | | | the islands and subjected them to a brutal |
| traded with other islands in Micronesia. | | | | 31-month occupation. The islands were |
| | | | eventually recaptured in the Battle of Guam |
| On March 6th, 1521, the first Europeans | | | | which took place between July 21st and August |
| arrived: Ferdinand Magellan's ships, on their | | | | 10th of 1944 |
| expedition to circumnavigate the globe. The | | | | |
| Chamarros natives of the islands welcomed the | | | | Following World War II, a series of acts |
| Spanish with food and drink. The Chamarros | | | | relaxed the U.S. administration of Guam, |
| expected to be paid, whereas the Europeans | | | | established the island as an unincorporated |
| believed these supplies to be gifts, so the | | | | organized territory of the United States, |
| Chamarros stole iron from the decks of the | | | | granted US citizenship to all persons born on |
| Spanish ships. The Spanish retaliated by | | | | Guam since 1899, allowed a non-voting Guam |
| killing several islanders and burning homes. | | | | delegate in the US House of Representatives, |
| Magellan consequently named Guam and the | | | | and allowed the islanders to elect their own |
| other Mariana Islands, "Las Islas de los | | | | governor and lieutenant governor. In 1982, |
| Ladrones" (The Islands of Thieves). | | | | Guam residents overwhelmingly voted for a |
| | | | closer relationship with the United States as |
| In 1667, Spain claimed the islands and | | | | a Commonwealth. However, progress towards |
| established a colony there. In 1668, Padre | | | | implementing the decision has been slow. |
| San Vitores, the first Spanish missionary, | | | | |
| arrived. He renamed the islands "Las | | | | In recent years, Guam has suffered a number |
| Marianas" after Mariana of Austria, widow of | | | | of setbacks, including the 1990s Asian |
| King Philip IV of Spain, and remained on the | | | | economic crisis, and September 11th attacks, |
| islands until his murder in 1672. | | | | damaging the tourism industry, the 1990s |
| | | | military cutbacks affecting the |
| On June 21st, 1898, Guam was captured by US | | | | military-dependant part of the island's |
| forces during the Spanish-American war, and | | | | economy, and the supertyphoons Paka in 1997, |
| was ceded to the United States by the | | | | and Pongsona in 2002. |
| subsequent Treaty of Paris which ended the | | | | |