Should Puerto Rico Become The 51st State Essay

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.

“No man is good enough to govern another man without that other’s consent. When the white man governs himself, that is self-government, but when he governs himself and also governs another man, that is more than self-government - that is despotism [rule by a tyrant].” In annexing the Philippines, we were being conquistadors, comparable to Spain, who we were fighting at the time. The Filipinos knew exactly what they were risking by trying to receive independence, they knew they may have been too weak to govern themselves. It is completely against the foundation of the US to seize freedom from another man. I believe the United States should have never annexed the Philippines without the Filipinos’ total consent.

I believe the Philippines should’ve been annexed by the United by many reasons. One of them being that the Philippines had a weak government, they weren’t capable of maintaining a country. They were not ready to be alone as a country. However, if the U.S. did not annex the Philippines, then other countries including Japan and Germany could’ve taken the country away. If the United States would’ve annexed the Philippians they were going to educate their people because everyone should have the right to get an education. The United States wanted to give the Philippines an opportunity to be independent and to be self-government. The United States would’ve had many trading goods and the markets

There are very many arguments about whether the United States should annex the Philippines. The argument is between Pro-Imperialist and Anti-Imperialist. I side on being a Pro-Imperialist. A few reasons to support my decisions are:

were advocates against the annexation, many believed it was the right decision. Many individuals believed that taking the Philippines would help and better the country. For example, in Document C, William McKinley states that allowing the country to be independent would be wrong because the Philippines is unfit to self-govern and it could lead them anarchy like Spain. McKinley also states that there is no where else for the Philippines to go, he says that America cannot give them back to Spain because it would be shameful and that the country cannot be given to France or Germany because it would disgraceful. Therefore, America has no other choice but annex the Philippine Islands and save it from ruin. The individuals who fought for the annexation depended their arguments on what they perceived as the right thing to

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.

We all know in the world of politics, there is and will always be an argument to anything that would be proposed, especially if it’s something new to politicians. With the addition of a new state, it would scramble things in the senate and the house. “Puerto Rico as a state would gain two seats in the Senate and five in the House of Representatives, rather than the one non voting delegate that currently represents Puerto Rico.”(Rubinstein) Puerto Rico would most likely be a democratic state, which would greatly help breaking up the republican controlled senate and house. This would help in the decision making that would go on. Puerto Rico would also see benefits, because the US would help improve the living conditions. Puerto Rico just filed for bankruptcy and if statehood were to be granted, Puerto Rico would be okay. Just in general both sides could see benefits and granting statehood to Puerto Rico is a great

Puerto Rico would get 2 senate seats, 5 in house reps & Puerto Ricans would be able to vote for the president. Puerto Rico would have lots of economic growth. Puerto Ricans businesses don’t pay corporate taxes. So the U.S would benefit & P.R. Puerto Rico has a debt of over 70 billion dollars. That’s a lot of money for a little island. So if Puerto Rico became a state It would slowly go away because it would be getting a extra 20 billion dollars. Puerto Rico’s economy isn’t growing because businesses don’t want to open up on the island. The reason is Puerto Rico doesn’t know if it will stay a commonwealth, become a state, or become independent. So if Puerto Rico became a state, the economic growth would be huge. Right now Puerto Rico’s average salary is around 20,00 dollars a year. If Puerto Rico became a state that average might double. Even though Puerto Ricans would now have to pay full taxes, their salary would go up , that goes to the U.S. but eventually the money goes back to Puerto Rico. That whole system in the end benefits Puerto Rico. It benefits the U.S. also because the U.S. gets a extra 2 billion. That money would eventually pull the U.S out of their debt to (Should Puerto Rico become America’s 51st state?).

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

What's a common location that comes up in discussion when someone thinks of a destination to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the Main land of the United States? Normally Puerto Rico isn't too far away from conversation. Puerto Rico is a beautiful place with the perfect climate and many historical sites to take that getaway that you have always wanted. Today we will discuss major issues in/of Puerto Rico, the significance of this research and data sources, and lastly I will describe the data collected and research found during my inquiry on the region known as Puerto Rico

The bald red, white, and blue eagle of American Democracy is coming for you Phillipines, run while you can! Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, was so infatuated with the idea of democracy, and he wanted every country to have a little taste of American freedom! After America's victory in the Spanish American War, George Dewey and his 11,000 American troops marched into manila and were unsure whether to liberate or occupy the filipino people. Thinking the they were here to help, the Filipino rebels trusted the Americans, but were soon betrayed as Dewey decided to occupy the land. The United States had three choices to determine what they wanted to do with the Philippines: Give it back to Spain, Give the filipino people their freedom, or to annex the whole country itself. With much debate ranging from artists, influential citizens, and government officials, the US ultimately decided it would annex! The United States should not have annexed the Philippines but rather should have given them their independence. While others may think the annexation of the Philippines would have benefited them, what the Philippines really needed was

There are several economic reasons that can be argued against Puerto Rico becoming a state. First, the current unemployment rate is 11.7%, which would rank the highest in the nation. Puerto Rico has the lowest per capita income at around $7000, half of the poorest U.S. state (Mississippi). Thus it would cost the U.S. Government approximately 3-4 billion a year for 10 years to get Puerto Rico up to par with the other states. The 936 tax code, which grants U.S. companies federal tax exemptions for their operations in Puerto Rico,

The intention of this essay is to demonstrate to a vision rational, concordant political leader to the Puerto Rican, American and worldwide reality. It responds to the necessity that to the statehood it is necessary to imagine it and to expose it with all the evidence available, since many Puerto Ricans, including many political leaders, do not know like defending it or exposing it before the peculiar ones or our adversaries.

Since Puerto Rico was first discovered by Christopher Columbus on November 19, 1493, and Spanish colonization ensued in 1508, Puerto Rico has experienced all of these pressures of identity and culture.

I think this attitude gave a forewarning to a similar autocratic government much like that during Spanish rule. Even the system of legislation reminded me of the Spanish system, with the viceroy of Spain electing governors and other officials in Puerto Rico, when he was completely removed from Puerto Rico and unaware of the situation there. Trías-Monge includes how “in testifying before Congress on the report, Judge H.G. Curtis, a member of the Commission, stated that the President himself should legislate for Puerto Rico, at the recommendation of the Governor to be appointed by him.”(p. 37) This is an immediate instance where actions are not proceeding as Puerto Ricans thought they would. But it was only a first sign.