Possessing the Pacific: Land, Settlers, and Indigenous People from Australia to Alaska explores how 19th-century British and American settlers transformed the Pacific world. Historian Stuart Banner argues that colonial possession was not just a military feat but a legal and ideological one. Core Themes
💡 Property rights in the Pacific weren't just discovered; they were actively manufactured by settlers to replace existing Indigenous systems. To help you further, let me know if you need: A chapter-by-chapter summary A critical analysis for a book review Possessing the Pacific: Land, Settlers, and Ind...
Despite the pressure, Indigenous groups often navigated colonial legal systems to defend their sovereignty. To help you further, let me know if
Colonizers frequently labeled Indigenous lands as underutilized to justify seizing them for farming and industry. To help you further
Settlers used varying legal frameworks to claim land, often shifting between "conquest" and "purchase" to suit their needs.