02 Mar 1606           Swains Islands discovered by Spanish Capt. Fernando de Quiros
                            and named Isla de la Gente Hermosa.  
    01 Feb 1841           Isla de la Gente Hermosa renamed to Swains Islands.
        13 Jun 1722           Samoa discovered by Dutch Capt. Jacob Roggeveen,
                            Rose Atoll is named Vuyle Eylandt (Bird Island).
    05 May 1768           Revisited by French Capt. Louis-Antoine de 
                            Bougainville, named Iles Navigateurs (Navigator Islands).
    21 Oct 1819           French Capt. Louis de Freycinet resights and names Rose
                            Atoll.
    13 Oct 1856           Semi-independent proprietary settlement founded by the
                            American Jennings family (often called Jennings Island)
                            on Swains Islands.   
    02 Nov 1871           New Zealand government recommends British annexation of the
                            Samoa Islands.
    02 Mar 1872           U.S. Commander Richard Meade on U.S.S. Narragansett signs a
                            treaty  granting the U.S. a coaling station in Pago Pago.
    13 Feb 1878           U.S. Treaty of Friendship with Tutuila and Aunu'u  Islands
    05 Nov 1884           King and Vice-King of Samoa petition Queen Victoria  to make
                            Samoa a British colony.
    14 Jul 1889           Tripartite German-UK-U.S. protectorate
 17 Feb 1900 - 29 Jun 1951  Administered by the U.S. Navy.
    17 Apr 1900           Tutuila and Aunu'u Islands ceded to United States by local
                            chiefs (American Samoa).
    16 Jul 1904           Manu'a Islands (Manu'a, Ofu, Ta'u, etc.) and Ross Atoll
                            ceded to United States.
           1907           Swains Islands claimed by the British Gilbert Islands.
        02 Apr 1909           The Tui Manu`a lineage (Moa'atoa dynasty) becomes extinct.
                            These Paramount chiefs are known to rule since c.1828.
           1909           Swains Islands recognized by Britain as within the U.S.
                            zone of influence.
    17 Jul 1911           U.S. Naval Station Tutuila renamed American Samoa.
    04 Mar 1925           Swains Islands annexed by U.S. into American Samoa.
    20 Feb 1929           U.S. Congress formally accepts the cession of Tutuila and 
                            Manu'a by their chiefs, with retroactive effect to
                            16 Jul 1904.
    29 Jun 1951           Administered by U.S. Department of Interior.
    22 Apr 1960           Autonomy.
    25 Mar 1981           New Zealand confirms U.S. sovereignty over Swains Islands.
       Feb 2006           Swains Islands claimed by Tokelau in its draft constitution.