Kit Porter Van Meter Marianas Collection & NMI PCV Memories
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      • Update #5 (12/01/19)
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  • Home
  • KPV Collection
    • COLLECTION INDEX & GENERAL CONTENT
    • EDUCATION & CULTURE ​CONTENT
    • NEWSLETTERS, MAGAZINES & ​PRESS RELEASES
    • IMAGE CAPTION ​INVENTORY
    • About the Website
    • Audio Samples
    • Pacific Arts & Crafts
    • Highlights, History & Timeline
    • Higher Education and Northern Marianas College
    • Chamorro & Carolinian Education
    • NMI & Micronesia Transition (1970s)
    • Stories & Recent Visits
    • YouTube Stories (1975-1983)
  • PC Memories
    • Youtube Stories (1967-1969)
    • Flickr & Photo Inventory
    • PC Stories & Remembrances >
      • Kit Remembers
    • Art & Artifacts
    • Video & Audio
    • PC Related: Printed
    • Micro Groups Training & List
    • PCV and Staff Content
    • After PC: Volunteers Reconnect
    • NMHC Grant 2019 Updates >
      • Update #1 (08/23/19)
      • Update #2 (09/13/19)
      • Update #3 (10/27/19)
      • Update #4 (11/15/19)
      • Update #5 (12/01/19)
    • Encouragers, Collaborators, & Supporters
  • Contact Us
  Kit Porter Van Meter Marianas Collection & NMI PCV Memories

Historical Timeline & Abbreviations
Rota, Saipan, Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands & Guam
​(1500-1976 AD)

1500 BC - First settlers documented
0845 BC - First latte stone houses 
1521 AD - Magellan first sights islands
1668 AD -First missionaries arrive (priests visit from Guam)
1695 AD - Tinian population taken to Guam
1698 AD - Saipan population taken to Guam
1700-1779 AD - Epidemic kills large part of population
1816 AD - Carolinians settle on Saipan
1870-1879 AD - Guamanian Chamorros settle in NMI
1889 AD - Tinian Carolinians move to Tanapag, Saipan
1898 AD - U.S. acquires Guam as a result of Spanish American War
1899 AD - Germany purchases Northern Marianas from Spain
1899 AD - Saipan becomes as administrative center
1902 AD  - Massive earthquakes occur on Saipan
1905 AD - Germans begin public schools on Saipan
1906 AD - Major typhoon destroys villages on Saipan
1907 AD - Saipan District under Yap administration
1914 AD - WWI: Japanese occupy Marianas, Carolines & Marshalls
1914 AD - Saipan hit by large Typhoon
1920 AD -  League of Nations mandate NMI to Japan
1922 AD - Marianas administered by Japan's South Seas Bureau
1930 AD - Sugar cane farms begun; Koreans and Okinawans imported
1935 AD - Japan withdraws from League of Nations
1940 AD - Military installation construction begun by Japanese
1941  AD - Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
1944 AD - U.S. took possession of NMI
1945 AD - Japanese surrender (WWII)
1947 AD - UN established U.S. Trust for Northern Marianas
1947 AD - Navy took responsibility for Administration of NMI
1951 AD - Secretary of Interior takes responsibility for NMI
1952 AD - Terr. College of Guam established 
1953 AD - Saipan and Tinian administrated by Navy
1953 AD - School of Nursing established in Micronesia
1954 AD - Trust Territory Headquarters moves from Honolulu to Guam
1956 AD - First conference of Micronesian leaders
1960 AD - First American elementary teachers arrive
1962 AD - Rota joined to Saipan forming Marianas District
1962 AD - Trust Territory Headquarters moves from Guam to Saipan
1963 AD - School of Nursing moved to Saipan
1965 AD - First meeting for Congress of Micronesia
1967 AD - First U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers (460 individuals) in Micronesia
1967 AD - Typhoon Gilda destroys Rota
1968 AD - Typhoon Jean destroys Saipan
1968 AD - Territory College of Guam changes name to University of Guam
1969 AD - Northern Marianas votes integration with Guam. Guam votes against.
1976 AD - NMI became a U.S. Commonwealth

1976 AD - Northern Marianas Community College established by Proclamation

**Being updated to add 1976 to 1983
​

​Abbreviations
  • CNMI: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
  • NMCC: Northern Marianas Community College
  • HiCom: High Commissioner of TTPI
  • NMHC: Northern Marianas Humanity Council
  • NMI: Northern Mariana Islands
  • PCV: Peace Corps Volunteer
  • TTPI: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
The history and terminology of this region is complex. My hope is that you can enjoy the website's content without having to “study.” However, some discussion of dates and terms will help. Most of the geographic region called Micronesia became the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI or TT) after WWII. The indigenous people of the NMI are predominantly of Chamorro heritage with roughly a quarter of these of Carolinian heritage or Saipanese Carolinians. Other district of the TTPI made political and name changes.

In 1976 the political map of Micronesia started to change. The Northern Mariana Islands separated from the other districts and became a Commonwealth of the United States. Yap, Truk, Ponape, and Kosrae joined together to become the Federated States of Micronesia. The Marshall Islands became the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Palau Islands became the Republic of Palau. The spelling of Palau changed to Belau. The spelling of Kosrae changed from the earlier spelling of Kusaie. The spelling of Ponape was replaced by the spelling Pohnpei.  Truk became Chuuk.

Content for this web site uses the spelling in use when the material was written.


For more detailed information, please read the Brief Historical Summary.

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