American Samoa became a United States territory in 1900 and was initially administered by the Navy.

From 1905, annual meetings were held with delegates sent from the local communities, as an advisory council to the naval governor.

The lower house, named the House of Representatives, was composed of 54 members: 52 (one from each village) were elected in open meetings according to Samoan custom, and two were elected by secret ballot by residents not living under the matai system.

[1][2][3][4] The first session of the legislature was called to order by Attorney General John D. Maroney at 9:30 am on 26 October 1948, and high orator Mariota Tiumalu Tuiasosopo was unanimously elected as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

[5] The legislature was reformed in 1952, after administration of American Samoa had been transferred to the Department of the Interior.