How the US Territory of Guam became an American Colony

The U.S. territory of Guam has a unique history as one of the longest-running colonies in history. How did it get this way?

Guam has been colonized by the Spanish, occupied by the Japanese and militarized by the Americans. But the history of its indigenous Chamorro people goes back even further.  AJ+ went to Guam to speak with indigenous Chamorro people about the island's complicated past.

Watch the rest of the documentary series below: - 

Part 2 

More Americans from Guam serve in the U.S. military, per capita, than from any U.S. state. But they can’t even vote for president.

AJ+ Producer Jun Stinson goes to Guam to speak with service members and veterans about what it's like to serve a country that doesn't allow you to vote. Then she meets up with indigenous Chamorro activists who are fed up and consider Guam to be a U.S. colony.

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Part 3 

There’s a growing movement of young people on Guam who envision a sustainable future for the island. They want to end the island's dependency on imported processed foods, which has been ongoing since World War II and has led to high rates of heart disease and diabetes.

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Part 4 

What does it mean to be a citizen of a United States territory and also be indigenous? The Chamorro people on Guam tell us about their multifaceted — and often complicated — identity.