| Front | Back | | --- | --- | | Why did the Second World War weaken European colonial authority in the Pacific? |

Loss of prestige: The rapid defeat of European powers by Japan shattered the myth of colonial invincibility.
Economic exhaustion: Post-war European nations lacked the financial resources to maintain distant administrative control.

| | Western Samoa became the first Pacific Island nation to achieve independence on January 1, 1962, following decades of peaceful resistance led by the Mau movement. | Western Samoa became the first Pacific Island nation to achieve independence on January 1, 1962, following decades of peaceful resistance led by the Mau movement. | | How did Western Samoa's 1962 constitution reconcile traditional authority with modern governance? | It blended indigenous Samoan traditions (such as the authority of traditional chiefs, or matai) with Western-style democratic institutions. | | Why did New Zealand face international pressure to grant Western Samoa independence? |

UN Trusteeship: The UN Trusteeship Council actively monitored the territory and applied diplomatic pressure for self-rule.
Anti-colonial norms: The global rise of decolonization movements made prolonged colonial rule internationally unacceptable.

| | What economic factors motivated colonial powers to withdraw from the Pacific? |

High administrative costs: Maintaining distant colonial infrastructures became a severe financial strain.
Geographical inefficiency: The vast distances and fragmentation of the islands made administration highly inefficient.

| | How did educational expansion in Papua New Guinea under Australian administration accelerate decolonization? | It created a new class of educated indigenous elites who possessed the administrative skills to lead political parties and manage self-rule. | | Australia transferred political authority to Papua New Guinea, leading to its independence in 1975 and the establishment of a parliamentary system. | Australia transferred political authority to Papua New Guinea, leading to its independence in 1975 and the establishment of a parliamentary system. | | Why did Papua New Guinea face immediate regionalist challenges after gaining independence in 1975? | Extreme internal diversity and geographic isolation led regional provinces to demand greater autonomy, threatening national unity. | | What was the primary geopolitical purpose behind the formation of the Pacific Islands Forum in 1971? | To establish collective representation and bargaining power in global affairs, allowing small states to coordinate on regional trade, development, and environmental issues. | |

What political status do the Cook Islands and Niue hold in relation to New Zealand?

| They are self-governing states in free association with New Zealand. | |

How did the United Nations influence the decolonization of Western Samoa?

| The UN applied moral pressure and monitored progress through its Trusteeship Council, pushing for constitutional steps toward sovereignty. | | How did the Mau movement contribute to Western Samoa's path to independence? | It mobilized Samoan identity through peaceful protest, civil disobedience, and demands for self-determination, eroding New Zealand's administrative control. | | Why did newly independent Pacific Island states remain economically vulnerable despite achieving political sovereignty? |

Small domestic markets and limited natural resources.
Geographic isolation from major global trade hubs.
Continued dependency on foreign aid and legacy colonial trade patterns.

| | To build regional bargaining power, Pacific leaders founded the Pacific Islands Forum in 1971. | To build regional bargaining power, Pacific leaders founded the Pacific Islands Forum in 1971. | | Why did Australia decide to accelerate administrative withdrawal from Papua New Guinea in the early 1970s? |

Financial burden: Australia recognized that long-term administration and development of PNG was too costly.
External pressure: The UN pushed Australia to end its trusteeship administration.

| | How did the legacy of colonial borders affect post-independence stability in Papua New Guinea? | It grouped highly diverse, historically separated ethnic and linguistic groups into a single nation, resulting in immediate post-independence demands for provincial autonomy. | | What role did strategic partnerships with powers like the US, Australia, and New Zealand play in the post-independence era? | They heavily shaped foreign policy, providing essential development aid and national security in exchange for diplomatic alignment and strategic access. | |

| Asia | |

| The Pacific Islands | |

| Japan | |

| North America | |

| Hawaii | |

| Philippines | |

| Cook Islands | |

| French | |

| Polynesia |

Paper 1 - The Move to Global War6 subtopics

Paper 1 - Rights and Protest6 subtopics

Paper 1 - Conflict and Intervention6 subtopics

Paper 2 - Independence Movements5 subtopics

Paper 2 - Emergence and Development of Democratic States5 subtopics

Paper 2 - Authoritarian States7 subtopics

Paper 2 - Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars4 subtopics

Paper 2 - The Cold War: Superpower Tensions and Rivalries4 subtopics

Paper 3 - History of Europe18 subtopics

Paper 3 - History of the Americas18 subtopics

Paper 3 - History of Asia and Oceania18 subtopics

IB History Independent Pacific Island States Flashcards

Flashcards for Independent Pacific Island States

Flashcards for Independent Pacific Island States - IB