History of the Federated States of Micronesia

The history of the Federated States of Micronesia traces its island societies through colonial rule, United Nations trusteeship, independence, and a compact-based relationship with the United States.

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Settlement of Micronesia: The prehistoric peopling of Micronesia, an island region of the western Pacific. Settlers reached the islands thousands of years before colonial rule or national borders.
Spanish East Indies: The Spanish colonial possessions in Asia and the Pacific, including the Caroline Islands. Spanish claims and administration began the islands' era of European colonial rule.
Tosiwo Nakayama: A Micronesian political leader who became the FSM's first president in 1979. He led the new federation through its first years of self-government.
Constitution of the Federated States of Micronesia: The 1979 constitution establishing the FSM as a federal republic. It made self-government possible before formal independence.
Lapita culture: An archaeological culture of the western Pacific known for distinctive pottery and seafaring expansion. Lapita-era migration and exchange contributed to the region's early settlement history.
German New Guinea: Germany's colonial territory in the western Pacific, including the Caroline Islands after 1899. German rule followed Spain's sale of its Caroline Islands claims.
Bailey Olter: A Micronesian statesman who served as president of the FSM from 1991 to 1997. His presidency coincided with the compact's implementation and early renegotiation.
Independence of the Federated States of Micronesia: The FSM's 1986 transition from United Nations trusteeship to sovereign independence. Independence ended the trusteeship and brought the compact into force.
Nan Madol: A monumental complex of artificial islets and stone structures built near Pohnpei. Its rise illuminates the political organization of a major precolonial society within today's FSM.
South Seas Mandate: A League of Nations mandate that placed former German Pacific islands under Japanese administration. Japan governed the islands under this mandate after World War I.