ok, the guano islands act of 1856. and this huge guano island rush. it began. it is important to point out that those really particular conditions did not replicate themselves. most of the other guano islands had much smaller deposits and were much less rich in nitrogen because of rain leaching. alright? nonetheless, there was a rush to find a sovereign territory. and one of the important things, at least in u.s. history, this is a bit of a digression, it did not articulate comfortably with the u.s. system of incorporating into nations. that system have been defined as a process whereby westward moving americans usually would settle a territory, and it would be incorporated into the nation as a territory and then estate. ok? but these guano islands would never become part of the united states, like states. they would just be islands connected in formally. let me read the language of the act. "whenever a citizen of the u.s. discovers guano not within the lawful jurisdiction of any other government or occupied by the citizens of any other government, and takes pe

and this huge guano island rush. other guano islands had much smaller deposits and were much less rich in nitrogen because of rain leaching. nonetheless, there was a rush to find it. this is a bit of a digression, it did not articulate comfortably with the u.s. system of incorporating into nations. westward moving americans usually would settle a territory, and it would be incorporated into the nation as a territory and then estate. islands wouldo never become part of the united states like states. they would just be islands connected in formally. let me read the language of the act. whenever a citizen of the u.s. not within the lawful jurisdiction of any government or occupied by the citizens of any other government, and takes peaceable possession thereof and occupies, such an island may, at the discretion of the president, be considered as appertaining to the united states. that phrase, appertaining, would be absolute critical at the turn of the 20th century when the united states becomes a colonial nation. colonie