Coordinates: 10°30′N 152°00′E

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) was a
United Nations trust territory in Micronesia administered by Trust Territory of the Pacific
the United States from 1947 to 1994. Islands
1947–1994
History
Spain initially claimed the islands that later composed the
territory of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI).[1]
Subsequently, Germany established competing claims over the Flag
islands.[1] The competing claims were eventually resolved in (1965–1980s) Seal
favor of Germany when Spain, following its loss of several
possessions to the United States during the Spanish–American
War, ceded its claims over the islands to Germany pursuant to
the German–Spanish Treaty (1899).[1] Germany, in turn,
continued to retain possession until the islands were captured
by Japan during World War I.[1] The League of Nations
formally placed the islands in the former South Seas Mandate,
a mandate that authorized Japanese administration of the
islands.[1] The islands then remained under Japanese control
until captured by the United States in 1944 during World War
Location of the Trust Territory of the
II.[1] Pacific Islands in the Pacific
The TTPI entered UN trusteeship pursuant to Security Council Status United Nations
Resolution 21 on July 18, 1947, and was designated a Trust Territory
"strategic area" in its 1947 trusteeship agreement. Article 83 of under the
administration
the UN Charter provided that, as such, its formal status as a
of the United
UN trust territory could be terminated only by the Security States
Council, and not by the General Assembly as with other trust
territories. The United States Navy controlled the TTPI from a Capital Saipan
headquarters in Guam until 1951, when the United States Common languages English (official)
Department of the Interior took over control, administering the Micronesian
territory from a base in Saipan.[2] languages

The Territory contained 100,000 people scattered over a water Government Trust Territory
area the size of continental United States. It was subdivided Chief of State  
into six districts, and represented a variety of cultures, with • 1947–1953 (first) Harry S.
nine spoken languages. The Pohnpeians and Kosraeans, Truman
Marshallese and Palauans, Chuukese, Yapese and Chamorros • 1993–1994 (last) Bill Clinton
had little in common, except they were in the same general High Commissioner  
area of the Pacific Ocean.[3] • 1947–1948 (first) Louis E.
Denfeld
The large distances between people, lack of an economy, • 1981–1987 (last) Janet J.
language and cultural barriers, all worked against the union. McCoy
The six district centers became upscale slums, containing
Legislature Congress
deteriorated Japanese-built roads, with electricity, modern Historical era Cold War
music and distractions, which led to alienated youth and
• Trusteeship July 18, 1947
elders. The remainder of the islands maintained their traditional
• Termination of October 21,
way of life and infrastructure.[3] administration 1986
(Marshall Islands)
In the late 1960s, the U.S. opposed the idea of eventual
• Termination of November 3,
independence. Instead, they aimed for some form of administration 1986
association, perhaps with Hawaii. They estimated that perhaps (Micronesia)
10-25% of the population were at that point in favor of • Free Association October 1,
independence.[4] and De jure 1994
independence of
A Congress of Micronesia first levied an income tax in 1971. It Palau
affected mainly foreigners working at military bases in the Currency United States
region.[5] dollar

On October 21, 1986, the U.S. ended its administration of the Preceded by Succeeded by
Marshall Islands District.[6] The termination of U.S.
South Marshall
administration of the Chuuk, Yap, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and the
Seas Islands
Mariana Islands districts of the TTPI soon followed on Mandate Federated
November 3, 1986.[7][8] The Security Council formally ended States of
the trusteeship for the Chuuk, Yap, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Mariana Micronesia
Islands, and Marshall Islands districts on December 22, 1990, Northern
pursuant to Security Council Resolution 683.[9] On May 25, Mariana
1994, the Council ended the trusteeship for the Palau District Islands
pursuant to Security Council Resolution 956, after which the Palau
U.S. and Palau agreed to establish the latter's independence on
October 1.[10][11] a. Clinton was President when Palau's
Compact of Free Association took
Geography effect. Ronald Reagan was President
when the RMI, FSM, and CNMI's
final status took effect.
In 1969, the 100 occupied islands comprised 700 square miles b. McCoy retired as High
(1,800  km2 ) over an area of 3,000,000 square miles Commissioner in 1987. As Palau was
(7,800,000 km2 ) of sea. The latter area was comparable in size still a part of the TTPI, it was
to the continental United States.[12] The water area is about administered by officials in the Office
5% of the Pacific Ocean. of Territorial and International Affairs
until 1994.

Demographics
The population of the islands was 200,000 in the latter part of the
19th century. The population decreased to 100,000 by 1969 due to
emigration, war, and disease. At that time, the population inhabited
less than 100 out of 2,141 of the Marshall, Mariana, and Caroline
Islands.[12]

Education Map of the TTPI from 1961

In 1947 the Mariana Islands' Teacher Training School (MITTS), a

normal school serving all areas of the Trust Territory, opened in Guam.[13] It moved to Chuuk in 1948,[14]
to be more central in the Trust Territory,[13] and was renamed Pacific Islands' Teacher Training School
(PITTS).[14] It transitioned from being a normal school to a
comprehensive secondary school, so it was renamed the Pacific
Islands Central School (PICS). The school moved to Pohnpei in
1959.[13] At the time it was a three-year institution housing students
who graduated from intermediate schools.[15] The school, later
known as Pohnpei Island Central School (PICS),[16] is now Bailey
Olter High School.[17]

Palau Intermediate School, established in 1946, became Palau High Arrival of UN Visiting Mission,
School in 1962 as it added senior high grades.[18] From the late Majuro, 1978. The sign reads
1960s to the middle of the 1970s, several public high schools were "Please release us from the bondage
built or received additions in the Trust Territory. They included of your trusteeship agreement."
Jaluit High School, Kosrae High School, Marshall Islands High
School in Majuro, Palau High, PICS, and Truk High School (now
Chuuk High School). The Micronesian Occupational College in Koror, Palau was also built.[19] It later
merged with the Kolonia-based Community College of Micronesia, which began operations in 1969, into
the College of Micronesia-FSM in 1976.[20]

Current status
Following the termination of the trusteeship, the territory of the former TTPI became four separate
jurisdictions:

Sovereign states in free association with the United States

The following sovereign states have become freely associated with the United States under the Compact of
Free Association (COFA).

 Republic of the Marshall Islands – established 1979, COFA effective October 21, 1986
 Federated States of Micronesia – established 1979, COFA effective November 3, 1986
 Republic of Palau – established 1981, COFA effective October 1, 1994

Commonwealth in political union with the United States

 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands – new constitution partially effective
January 1, 1978, and fully effective November 4, 1986.[21]

See also
High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
Congress of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

References
1. Encyclopædia Britannica: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (http://www.britannica.com/EB
checked/topic/437672/Trust-Territory-of-the-Pacific-Islands)
2. "Trust Territory of the Pacific Archives Photos – University of Hawaii" (http://libweb.hawaii.ed
u/digicoll/ttp/ttpi.html). University of Hawaii at Manoa Hamilton Library.
 3. Kluge, P. F. (December 1971). "Micronesia: America's Troubled Island Ward". The Beacon.
Hawaii. p. 161 – via Reader's Digest.
4. Brij V Lal (22 September 2006). " 'Pacific Island talks': Commonwealth Office notes on four-
power talks in Washington" (https://books.google.com/books?id=Z2R3Nk3jUlsC&pg=PA29
7). British Documents on the End of Empire Project Series B Volume 10: Fiji (https://books.g
oogle.com/books?id=Z2R3Nk3jUlsC). University of London: Institute of Commonwealth
Studies. pp. 301, 304, 310. ISBN 9780112905899.
5. Glenn B. Martineau (September 1976). "Micronesia's Simplified Income Tax System" (https://
books.google.com/books?id=iS7-61GyjeQC). American Bar Association Journal. p. 1176–
1178 (https://books.google.com/books?id=iS7-61GyjeQC&pg=PA1176).
6. "Marshall Islands (07/00)" (https://web.archive.org/web/20190427205535/https://2009-2017.s
tate.gov/outofdate/bgn/marshallislands/14446.htm). U.S. Department of State. Archived from
the original (https://2009-2017.state.gov/outofdate/bgn/marshallislands/14446.htm) on April
27, 2019. Retrieved 2019-04-27.
7. "Background Notes: Micronesia 6/96" (https://1997-2001.state.gov/background_notes/micron
esia_0696_bgn.html). United States Department of State. Retrieved 2019-04-27.
8. Reagan, Ronald. "Proclamation 5564 of November 3,1986" (https://www.govinfo.gov/conten
t/pkg/STATUTE-101/pdf/STATUTE-101-Pg2027.pdf) (PDF). Government Publishing Office.
9. "Resolution 683 (1990)" (https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/57
5/33/IMG/NR057533.pdf?OpenElement) (PDF). United Nations Security Council. December
22, 1990.
10. "[USC04] 48 USC 1931: Approval of Compact of Free Association: Article VII" (http://uscode.
house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:48%20section:1931%20edition:prelim)). United States
House. Retrieved 2019-04-27.
11. "Trusteeship Council formally suspends operation: Palau admitted to UN" (http://findarticles.
com/p/articles/mi_m1309/is_n1_v32/ai_16869871/). UN Chronicle. March 1995.
12. "Remembering an adopted cousin". Time. New York City. May 23, 1969. p. 28.
13. Wuerch, William L. and Dirk Anthony Ballendorf. Historical Dictionary of Guam and
Micronesia, 1994. ISBN 0810828588, 9780810828582. p.91 (https://books.google.com/book
s?id=h5EE-AVNT98C&pg=PA91).
14. Goetzfridt, Nicholas J. and Karen M. Peacock. Micronesian Histories: An Analytical
Bibliography and Guide to Interpretations'. p. 190 (https://books.google.com/books?id=oqqdb
U0tBvAC&pg=PA190).
15. Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Office of United Nations Political Affairs, 1961.
p. 137 (https://books.google.com/books?id=HSJl-F2gb9sC&q=%22Pacific+Islands+Central+
School%22&dq=%22Pacific+Islands+Central+School%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi0r
p-_ybvZAhUHtBQKHXlPBukQ6AEILDAB). "The Pacific Islands Central School is the only
public senior secondary school of the Territory. Students selected for further training
following graduation from the district intermediate schools may go to the Pacific Islands
Central School for 3 additional years of education."
16. "TITLE: Pohnpei Island Central School : (papers, articles, etc.). (http://library.comfsm.fm/web
opac/titleinfo?k1=1590728&k2=151186) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2018022316
5132/http://library.comfsm.fm/webopac/titleinfo?k1=1590728&k2=151186) 2018-02-23 at the
Wayback Machine"
17. "Higher Education in the Federated States of Micronesia (http://www.fsmembassydc.org/sch
ools.html) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20171014070540/http://www.fsmembassyd
c.org/schools.html) 2017-10-14 at the Wayback Machine." Embassy of the Federated States
of Micronesia Washington DC. Retrieved on February 23, 2018. "Bailey Olter High School
(former PICS) P.O. Box 250 Kolonia, Pohnpei FM 96941"
18. "About (http://www.palaumoe.net/phs/about.php) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2018
0303134015/http://www.palaumoe.net/phs/about.php) 2018-03-03 at the Wayback Machine."
Palau High School. Retrieved on February 22, 2018.
19. Compact of Free Association in the Micronesian States of Palau, the Federated States of
Micronesia and the Marshall Islands: Environmental Impact Statement. United States
Department of State, 1984. p. 36 (https://books.google.ca/books?id=_6g4AQAAMAAJ&pg=P
A36). "From the late 1960s to mid-1970s the major high school complexes throughout the
Trust Territory were constructed: notably,[...]additions to the Ponape High School[...]"
20. Thomas, R. Murray. "The U.S. Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Micronesia)" (Chapter 3).
In: Thomas, R. Murray and T. Neville Postlethwaite (editors). Schooling in the Pacific Islands:
Colonies in Transition . Elsevier, January 26, 2016. ISBN 1483148556, 9781483148557.
Start: 67 (https://books.google.com/books?id=7U1tBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA67). CITED: p. 91 (htt
ps://books.google.com/books?id=7U1tBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA91).
21. "Northern Mariana Islands" (https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/northern-maria
na-islands/). CIA World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. March 27, 2014. Retrieved
April 5, 2014.

Bibliography
Howard, Paul (November–December 1999). "Pioneering in the Trusts: Postwar Airline
Pioneering in US Trust Territory". Air Enthusiast (84): 35–40. ISSN 0143-5450 (https://www.w
orldcat.org/issn/0143-5450).

External links
Media related to Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands at Wikimedia Commons

Photos from the records of the Trust Territory Government (http://libweb.hawaii.edu/digicoll/tt

p/ttpi.html)
1967 Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Census Geography (http://www.pacificweb.org/DO
CS/Trust%20TerritoriesPI/1967%20Trust%20Territory%20Census%20Geography.pdf)
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20170103231522/http://www.pacificweb.org/DOCS/Tr
ust%20TerritoriesPI/1967%20Trust%20Territory%20Census%20Geography.pdf) 2017-01-03
at the Wayback Machine
United States Code: CHAPTER 14 – TRUST TERRITORY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS (htt
ps://web.archive.org/web/20100710032952/http://uscode.house.gov/download/pls/48C14.tx
t)
PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT (http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/special/cofa_special.ht
m) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20160422170636/http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pir
eport/special/cofa_special.htm) 2016-04-22 at the Wayback Machine, Pacific Islands
Development Program/East-West Center
Compact of Free Association between the United States and the Federated States of
Micronesia As Amended (2003) (https://web.archive.org/web/20031005043720/http://166.12
2.164.43/archive/special/fsmcompact.pdf) (pdf, archived from the original (http://166.122.164.
43/archive/special/fsmcompact.pdf) on 2003-10-05)

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