Universe at war hierarchy
In most of the area from the Palaus in the west to the Marshalls in the east, the community was considered to be owned in some sense by a clan, the head of which was also the leader of the community. Notably, the Yapese exerted no military force over the low islanders-but did claim the ability to punish them by sending cyclones, disease, and famine if they should fail to fulfill their obligations.
The purported empire consisted mainly of a chain of trading and ceremonial relationships with one of the states of Yap. The low islands between Chuuk and Yap have been described as belonging to the so-called Yapese empire.
The Marshalls and the Gilberts had larger polities and integrated groups of separate atolls under a high chief these expansionist states achieved their fullest development after the introduction of firearms by Europeans. Chuuk was extremely fragmented politically, with several independent communities on each of the six larger high islands.
Pohnpei had five petty states, although traditions of a unified rule for the whole island are apparent from an earlier period. Palau had two confederations of villages or districts, each independent of the other, and the villages themselves had considerable autonomy. At the time of European contact, Satawan Atoll in the Mortlocks had four separate communities, each with its own leader, which sometimes fought one another. Throughout most of Micronesia the maximum independent autonomous political unit was the high island or the atoll, often subdivided into more than one polity. Often they had subordinate chiefs and officials. In all of these areas there appear to have been some chiefs who were supported principally by tribute from their subjects, who were the object of considerable deference, who could punish offenses (especially against themselves and their own relatives) by fines, destruction of property, or death, and whose principal wives were generally members of other high-ranking families. The Marianas may have also had distinct social classes before the Spanish conquest. Other cultures that showed relatively marked social stratification were Palau, Pohnpei, Kosrae, the Marshalls, and the Gilberts. Social hierarchy and political organizationĪ certain amount of hereditary social stratification was found in Micronesia, but its degree varied considerably from some of the smaller Carolinian atolls, which had nominal hereditary chiefs with little special power or wealth, to the high island of Yap, which had several ranked endogamous castes. Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.