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Guano Act Created Loose U.S. Claims
- The Guano Islands Act (1856) let U.S. citizens claim uninhabited islands with guano and request they be considered "appertaining to the United States."
- The law aimed to secure fertilizer and saltpeter supplies without full territorial obligations.
Guano Was 'White Gold' In The 1850s
- In the mid-1800s guano was extremely valuable as fertilizer and for gunpowder, driving intense international demand.
- Prices made it a lucrative commodity, dubbed "white gold," and sparked a global mania for deposits.
Aves Island Sparked An International Scrap
- Americans and a British firm both landed on Aves Island, planted a Liberty Pole, and began guano operations.
- Venezuela later expelled both parties and the dispute over the island lasted for decades.