Guam

Location: Guam lies in the Pacific Ocean. It is located at 13 degrees north latitude and 144 degrees east longitude. Guam is 30 miles long and about 5 to 10 miles wide.

History: The first recorded history of Guam was on March 6, 1521, when a European sailor named Ferdinand Magellan landed on the island. Spanish galleons stopped on Guam to refil their supplies of food and water on a trip from Mexico to the Philippines. In 1600s, Guam became a colony of Spain. In 1898, the United States took control after the Spanish-American War. After World War II, on December 8, 1941, Japan occupied the island for 2 1/2 years. However in 1944, the U.S. took possession once more and in 1950, the U.S. Congress passed the Organic Act of Guam. This Act granted the Chamorros to become U.S. citizens and made Guam a territory of the United States.

People: The people of Guam are called, Chamorros. Although most people speak English, some Chamorros speak their native language, which is also called Chamorro. The Spaniards left a legacy which is shown in the island's predominatly Catholic community, culture, architecture, family names and borrowed words in the Chamorro language.