Chapter 7 of 10

Road to nationhood, 1965–1979

Bethwel Henry of Pohnpei led the House of the Congress of Micronesia from 1966 to 1979, and Tosiwo Nakayama of Chuuk led its Senate for much of the 1970s. While talks with Washington went on, the Northern Marianas broke away in 1972, and in 1977 the US agreed to separate talks with the Marshalls and Palau. In July 1978 voters in Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap approved the new constitution, which took effect in May 1979, and Congress then elected Nakayama the first president.

In this chapter 9 parts

The Congress of Micronesia trained a political class

Interior Secretary Udall’s Order 2882 created the Congress of Micronesia on 28 September 1964.1 Wikipedia, Congress of the TTPI It first convened on 12 July 1965, now FSM Law Day.2 FSM Mission to the UN Its lower house gave Truk five seats, Ponape four and Yap two.

Pohnpei’s Bethwel Henry was House Speaker from 1966 to 1979. Hanlon says Chuuk’s Nakayama was Senate president from 1968 to 1979.3 Hanlon, ANU Press All agree he led it through most of the 1970s.4 FSM Government

Status talks split the territory into four

A Future Political Status Commission formed in 1967 and reported in 1969, when talks with Washington began.5 Jensen; Armstrong & Hills, AJIL Chuuk’s Andon Amaraich (Hanlon spells it “Andohn”) later headed the commission.6 Hanlon Arsonists burned the Congress building in February 1970.

The Northern Marianas broke away in 1972 to seek commonwealth status.7 Jensen Marianas voters approved their Covenant with 78.8% on 17 June 1975.8 Wikipedia, Marianas Political Status Commission In 1977 the US first accepted separate talks with the Marshalls and Palau.9 Haglelgam, COM-FSM

The constitution won four districts and lost two

The Constitutional Convention opened in Saipan on 12 July 1975.10 FSM Mission to the UN Yap’s Petrus Tun served as one of six vice presidents.11 Habele, Petrus Tun Haglelgam writes “June 1975,” which looks like a slip.

On 12 July 1978, four districts ratified the constitution and two rejected it:12 Wikipedia, 1978 referendum

District	Yes	Yes %	No	Outcome
Chuuk (Truk)	9,762	69.7%	4,239	Approved
Kosrae (Kusaie)	1,118	61.4%	704	Approved
Pohnpei (Ponape)	5,970	74.7%	2,020	Approved
Yap	3,359	94.8%	186	Approved
Marshall Islands	3,888	38.5%	6,217	Rejected
Palau	2,720	44.9%	3,339	Rejected

Yap gave the strongest endorsement, and Kosrae the weakest among the four. Haglelgam also lists the Marianas as rejecting, but the Marianas had already left and did not vote.13 Haglelgam

The federation began in May 1979

The constitution took effect on 10 May 1979, now Constitution Day.14 Wikipedia, 1978 referendum Jensen gives 19 May, which appears to be an error. On 11 May Congress elected Nakayama president and Tun vice president, and both took office on 15 May.15 Habele, Petrus Tun; Hanlon

Key events

1965Jan

Yap

The first elections to the Congress of Micronesia were held; Yap’s Francis Nuuan was among the first senators (1965–69).

Source: Wikipedia, Congress of the TTPI Wikipedia, Francis Nuuan
1967

National

Congress created the six-member Future Political Status Commission to study Micronesia’s political options.

Source: Jensen 2016
19691969 (Murray) / 1970 (official)

Pohnpei

The Community College of Micronesia began in Ponape; one account says operations started in 1969, while the official history dates the renaming to 1970.

Source: Wikipedia, COM-FSM
1971

National

The Congress of Micronesia levied an income tax for the first time.

Source: Wikipedia, TTPI
197226 Dec

Yap

Former Yap senator Francis Nuuan died on Guam after being hit by a car.

Source: Wikipedia, Francis Nuuan
19744 Jun

National

Voters elected 42 Constitutional Convention delegates; the Marshalls opposed the convention, leaving two of its seats without candidates.

Source: Wikipedia, 1974 Con-Con election
197630 Sep

Chuuk

Xavier High School was listed on the US National Register of Historic Places as St. Xavier Academy.

Source: Wikipedia, Xavier High School
197826 Sep

Chuuk

Erhart Aten became Truk’s first governor, serving to 1986.

Source: WorldStatesmen
19799 Jan

Pohnpei Chuuk

Tosiwo Nakayama and Bethwel Henry petitioned the UN; the Congress of Micronesia was disbanded that year.

Source: Wikipedia, Congress of the TTPI
1979

National

Total US federal assistance to the Trust Territory reached $138.7 million, about 60% of it for programs and capital projects.

Source: Jensen 2016

All 63 events from these years in the timeline

People

Tosiwo Nakayama: First President of the FSM (1979–1987), from Chuuk; earlier Senate president of the Congress of Micronesia.
Bethwel Henry: Pohnpeian Speaker of the House in the Congress of Micronesia from 1966 to 1979.
Andon Amaraich: Chuukese leader who headed the Future Political Status Commission.
Petrus Tun: From Yap; vice president of the 1975 Constitutional Convention and first FSM Vice President (1979).

Where sources disagree in this era

Constitution in force

10 Mayor19 May 1979

Better supported 10 May 1979 Source not yet linked
Hilo Principles

1978or1977

Better supported 1978 Source not yet linked

Every contested fact, in one table

Through other eyes

No foreign-language records are collected for this era yet.

All foreign-language records

Cite this page

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