US colonization outside North America
Formal US colonization outside North America began with the Spanish-American War of 1898 and the seizure of Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Guam and the illegal annexation of Hawaii.Before 1898 there was already a large US-american settlement on Hawaii which was decisive for the annexation of Hawaii. Eventually the annexation and the settlement of other ethnic groups transformed the archipelago into an totally americanized part of the USA, which in 1959 became a US state, leaving the indigenous population a minotity almost totally cut off their traditional culture.
In Guam settlement of other ethnic groups was small in the beginning but the US started to campaign against catholicism in 1907. World War II showed the strategic value of the island and resulted in the construction of a huge military base and the a large influx of people from other parts of the world. Guam today has a very mixed population of 164.000 and with only 37% Chamorros leaving the indigenous population a minority on their own island. The rest of the population consists of mostly of Caucasians, Philippinos and smaller groups of Chinese, Japanese, Koreans und Micronesians and some Vietnamese and Indians. Guam today is almost totally americanized. There are some similarities with Hawaii, but attempts to free Guam from its rather blurry 'unincorporated' US territory status weren't sucessfull yet.
In 1898 Philippino liberation fighters, aided by the US, were able to defeat the spanish occupation forces, because Spain was on war with the US. June 12, 1898 the Philippines declared independence. December 13, 1898 the US annnexed the Philippines, even though it had declared it would recognize the Philippine right to self government. The Philippines became a US-colony in the 19th century style. When it became clear to the natives that American forces intended to occupy and control the country in the old colonial way, revolts broke out. At a constitutional convention held against the wishes of American authoritiesand a President of the Philippines Republic was elected - and declared to be an "outlaw bandit" by the McKinley Administration. Fighting against the US-occupation lasted 14 years but was not sucessfull - Americans have historically used the term "the Philippine Insurrection," for the fight for self government - but Filipinos and an increasing number of American historians refer to this liberation war as the Philippine-American War (1899-1913), and in 1999 the U.S. Library of Congress reclassified its references to use this term. 250,000 Filipinos were killed by the U.S. Forces in this war. The English language was then forced upon the Phillipinos and has remained offical language up to now even though in 1937 Tagalog gained legal status.
In 1899 the Treaty of Berlin was signed which divided Samoa into an American part and a German part. American Samoa was under U.S. Navy control from 1900 to 1951. From 1951 until 1977, Territorial Governors were appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. Settlememt of Americans from the main land and from other parts of the world started late and never was as stong as e.g im Hawaii, still leaving 89% of the population of American Samoa indigenous Samoans. The western Part became a New Zealand administered territory under the auspices of the League of Nations and then as a United Nations trusteeship. Only the Western part gained independence in 1962 leaving the eastern part under US control, even though there were closely knit relations between the two parts.
In 1917 the United States purchased the former Danish Colony of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas, which is now the U.S. Virgin Islands.
To be continued...
Further contributors should distinguish between US colonialism and US imperialism, with the former involving attempts to make permanent settlements in or to Americanize the conquered territories.