Why are the people of American Samoa not born American citizens? How did the US acquire American Samoa?

by fusionsc2
angrynerdist84

The American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States. In 1901 the case Downes v Bidwell the Supreme Court held that the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment does not extend birthright citizenship to U.S. nationals who are born in unincorporated territories. Here is a link to the court's decision- http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/182/244.html