Territory of American Samoa United States of America
American Samoa is a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half-way
between Hawai'i and New Zealand. Settled as early as 1000 BC, Samoa was
discovered by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the
latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and
the US divided the Samoan archipelago. American Samoa is an unincorporated
and unorganized territory administered by the Office of Insular Affairs of the U.S.
Department of the Interior. Home rule is invested in the leadership of its elected
Governor and Legislature.
1899 Treaty of Berlin Timeline.
**November 14, 1899 -- Treaty signed aboard the USS Badger by a tripartite
commission consisting of signatories from Germany, Britain and the U.S. This
would give control of Eastern Samoa to the United States.
**December 2, 1899 -- Treaty was finalized in Washington, D.C. and power over
Eastern Samoa was transferred to the U.S.
**February 16, 1900 -- The Berlin Agreement was ratified by the U.S. Senate.
American Samoa became an official territoy of the U.S. at this point.
