Puerto Rico: Should They Stay Or Should They Go?

The once powerful Spanish Empire was hanging onto a thread as Cuba and Puerto Rico were their last two major colonies. Tension between the Cuban people and the Spaniards had been building since the beginning of Spanish reign over the island in 1492. One of the leading issues was the “impact of increased taxation and an international economic crisis” (LOC). Spain was exploiting Cuba for its sugar plantations and treating the locals very poorly. This poor treatment and taxation by Spain would lead to the “Ten Years' War” (LOC), from 1868 to 1878, in which the Cubans

For most of its history, Puerto Rico has been controlled by an outside power, and its people oppressed. While Puerto Rico is currently a U.S. territory, Spanish colonialism has had a significant impact on the island’s development and identity. The history of the island itself is proof of this fact, demonstrating each step Puerto Rico took to reach its current state. By examining the stages of Spanish control that Puerto Rico experienced, we can determine how each stage affected the structure and identity of Puerto Rico.

One of the most charming statements ever made about Puerto Rican diversity goes as follows:

Puerto Rico is an island that is impacted by not having enough land for cultivation. The Three thousand four hundred and ninety-two square miles of this island is about seventy-five percent hills or mountains (Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States b). With the large amount of land consisting of hill or mountains, Puerto Rico has limited amounts of natural resources. While under Spanish colonial rule, the island was largely neglected because of its limited mineral resources. Following the Spanish-American war in 1898, the U.S. took over control of the island. The U.S. found itself in control of an island that produced small scale amounts of sugar and coffee. The U.S would then expand the sugarcane operations and establish markets to use as a viable trade resource.

The commonwealth status of Puerto Rico between the 1950-1952 was with limited autonomy since the Island was still under the Sovereignty of the United States (Francesco, C. & Eugene, 1999). The United States annexed Puerto Rico following the end of the Spanish-American War. For almost a century Puerto Rico has been under the influence of the United States. The constitutional convention of 1952 gave Puerto Rico the right to form a republican government.

Since the nineteenth century Puerto Ricans have been caught in the cross-streams of two cultures,

Puerto Rico has a long tumultuous past, which has yet to be settled; in the 1900’s the U.S acquired Puerto Rico and declared it a territory of the U.S with very limited self-rule. They even declared English as the official language. This has a large impact on Puerto Rican’s including the Thorpe family as the state has tried to declare bankruptcy for years and the U.S

The establishment of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as a United States territory has been prevalent since the Spanish-American War in 1898. Along with Puerto Rico, Spain also ceded Guam and the Philippines to the United States, Puerto Rico being the most populous of all U.S. territories, currently. As the result of being an unincorporated territory, all citizens born in Puerto Rico are proclaimed to be natural-born United States citizens, however are “disenfranchised at the national level” and therefore, cannot participate in Federal Elections. Although the island have already developed its own culture nearly wholly independent from the other states, there are many similar aspects that connect both Puerto

In Reproducing Empire, Laura Briggs provides her readers with a very thorough history of the mainland U.S. and Puerto Rican discourses and its authors surrounding Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans, from Puerto Rico's formation in the mainland elite's "mind" as a model U.S. (not) colony in 1898* to its present status as semi-autonomous U.S.

The United States gained Puerto Rico in 1898 through the Treaty of Paris, signed after the Spanish-American. Although the Puerto Rican community initially embraced U.S. intervention in 1898, hoping that the land of the free would finally bring liberty to the island, the following years were full of disillusionment. The sad reality was that the U.S. had no intention of ever giving up control of Puerto Rico because of its strategic location in the Caribbean. The United States government tried to Americanize the island. Which was acceptable for the island in the eyes of the elite until their power was being threatened. The elite’s on the island looked to the Jibaro as their symbol of national identity.

As a child, Espada travelled from Brooklyn, New York to his homeland, Puerto Rico to visit his family for the first time. During his visit, Espada fears that Puerto Rican culture is vanishing and threatened by American values imposed on them due to the presence of American corporate powers. It is known that Puerto Rican culture is a mix of many cultures and is strongly influenced by Taino Indians, America, Africa and Spain ("Culture and Traditions in Puerto Rico"). During the Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico became the territory of the United States when it was conquered on July 25, 1898 ("Puerto Rico: A U.S. Territory").

However, the people of Puerto Rico, were not always that convinced about being the 51th state; in fact they voted in two occasions to keep the Status Quo. The first referendum took place in 1967, during the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson. Puerto Ricans decided to stay as a Commonwealth inside the United States with more than 60% of the votes, followed by the Pro-Statehood movement that held 39% of the votes. The independence option was almost inexistent, and remained anecdotic in the following referendums held in 1993, 1998 and 2012. The same result was held during the mandate of President Clinton, in 1993 Puerto Rico citizens voted again to keep things how they were. Nonetheless, there was a change in the tendency. The pro-statehood and pro

Progression of a nation, the dream of every elected official and citizen of any country is seen as right for the pursuit of a sustainable nation. However, Puerto Rico has not moved forward since being ruled by the Spaniards. After the Spanish American war in 1898, the US gained control of Puerto Rico and it was back to page one. Puerto Rico has been called a territory, the last colony, and some officials call it Estado liberated Asociado, in English a Free Associated State. They are not considered part of the United States even though they are given citizenship. Puerto Rico has not progressed since they do not have their own legislature, and an appointed official from the United States would decide its approval. In the 2012 election

When the United States invaded the southwestern coast of Puerto Rico (Guanica and Ponce), a majority of Puerto Ricans welcomed the Americans and enabled their invasion. They cooperated and aided the American expulsion of Spaniards. However, it is obvious by the consequences that the end result of U.S. invasion and rule was not what Puerto Ricans had welcomed in July of 1898. Puerto Ricans wished an end to autocratic rule and concentration of wealth, things they did not know would continue under American rule. The Americans were regarded as change and chance for progress, even though they retained the fear of not knowing U.S. intentions.

In order to lay the court foundation for the newly state of Puerto Rico, it is important to understand a brief, recent history and basic principles which make up the state. Puerto Rico is a commonwealth island located in the Caribbean about 1,000 miles southeast of Florida, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. In 1952, the people of Puerto Rico established a constitution, recognizing a republican form of government. (Berenshteyn, 2014) The island is under the jurisdiction of U.S. customs and allows free movement of people and commodities within the territory and the United States, which is significant because its climate, history, and the atmosphere makes the island a very popular tourist destination. However, the economic crisis has prompted a migration of Puerto Rican citizens to seek other horizons in the United States, leaving its population at just over 3.5 million people; one-third of the population is located in the capital, which is San Juan. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2015) The other two thirds are disbursed throughout the other divisions.