American Samoa Tribal Leaders

A Brief History of American Samoa

American Samoa’s history blends deep Polynesian roots, centuries of inter‑island connections, and more recent ties to the United States. The islands were first settled by Polynesian navigators as early as 1000 BCE. Over time, Samoan society developed around extended families (aiga), chiefly leadership (matai), and the enduring cultural system known as fa‘a Samoa.

Early Settlement and Traditional Society

• Archaeological evidence shows settlement by seafaring Polynesians around 1000 BCE.
• By about 500 CE, Samoa became a cultural and voyaging hub for eastern Polynesia.
• The Manu‘a Islands were home to the Tui Manu‘a dynasty, one of the oldest and most prestigious chiefly lines in Polynesia.

First European Contact

• Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen sighted the islands in 1722, followed by French expeditions in the 18th century.
• Missionaries from the London Missionary Society arrived in the 1830s, introducing Christianity, which quickly became central to Samoan life.

Division of the Samoan Islands

• Growing foreign interest in the late 1800s led to the 1899 Tripartite Convention, dividing the archipelago:

• Western islands → Germany (later independent Samoa)
• Eastern islands → United States (now American Samoa)

Becoming a U.S. Territory

• Local chiefs ceded Tutuila in 1900 and Manu‘a by 1904, forming what is now American Samoa.
• The U.S. Navy administered the territory until 1951, when governance shifted to the U.S. Department of the Interior.
• In 1977, American Samoans elected their first governor, Peter Coleman, marking a major step in self‑government.

Modern Era

• American Samoa maintains strong cultural continuity through fa‘a Samoa, while also participating in U.S. political and economic systems.
• A major 2009 earthquake and tsunami caused widespread destruction, especially on Tutuila.