Back in December 1855 and January 1856, a group of ships departed from the United States towards Jarvis and Baker islands, two coral atolls located in the heart of the Pacific Ocean. On board were members of the newly established American Guano Company and an expert tasked with evaluating the quality of bird droppings on these islands.
The official ownership of these islands by the U.S. was established in July 1856 through Congress’ approval of the Guano Islands Act. This act granted authorization for claiming sovereignty over supposedly uninhabited or unclaimed territories to secure a supply of guano, a highly valued fertilizer for American crops like tobacco, cotton, and wheat.
Although initially aimed at diversifying guano sources beyond Peru – known for its high-quality nitrogen-rich guano – where British and American diggers had been drawn to since the early 1800s, even considering seizing Peru’s Lobos Islands with their massive guano deposits.
According to environmental sociologist Mauricio Betancourt from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va., The Guano Islands Act not only provided access to bird droppings but also allowed the U.S. to claim around 100 remote islands, ten of which are still under its possession today.
2024-10-25 08:00:00
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