Puerto Rico

By: Tyler Bennett,Andrew Snyder,

And Jacob Newton

Location

• Puerto Rico, officially known as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands

Involvement

• One of the most aggressive periods in U.S. foreign policy occurred between the Civil War and World War I. During this time, America assumed a foreign policy that came to be known as American Imperialism. Imperialism is a policy to extend the power, dominion or territories of a nation. This is exemplified by America’s involvement in the Spanish-American War (1898), the Philippine War (1898-1902) and in the U.S.’s interventions and negotiations with Puerto Rico, Panama and Hawaii.

Why?

• The aggression that characterized American involvement in these engagements was based on economics, a foreign policy of protectionism, and ethnocentrism, a form of racism characterized by the conviction of the superiority of one’s own race or culture. The distinguishing factor of American Imperialism is the presence of ethnocentrism. The issue of whether America had the right to enter, occupy or annex any areas beyond its borders in order to protect itself or expand its culture remains controversial to this day.

Benefits

• The United States gained possession of the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

Spanish-American War

• The united states invaded Puerto Rico in 1898 during the Spanish-American war, which was caused by the united states intervening in the Cuban war of independence.

• This intervention was authorized by president William McKinley.

Taking control

• The united states was authorized by president William McKinley to use military force to take control of Puerto Rico, Cuba, Guam, and the Philippine islands.

Free at last

• Puerto Rico was glad that the United States finally freed them from Spain, which had reigned over them for over 400 years. With this reign over, they could now control themselves

Citizenship is granted

• The united states gave all the citizens of Puerto Rico united states citizenship in 1917 because they were now a commonwealth of the united states and they were allowed to elect their own governor.

Relationship to the U.S

• The relationship between Puerto Rico and the U.S. can be confusing, because it is a unique social, economic, and political compromise

• Is Puerto Rico a U.S. State? No, Puerto Rico is not a state, but rather a commonwealth of the United States.

• This status provides local autonomy to the island and allows Puerto Rico to publicly display its flag.

Allies/Rivals/ or Enemies

• The government of Puerto Rico falls ultimately on the U.S. Congress. The elected governor of Puerto Rico occupies the highest public office on the island.• Yes Puerto Rico is an ally of ours

United States Intervention in Puerto Rico

• On April 25, 1898 the United States declared war on Spain following the sinking of the Battleship Maine in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898.

• As a result Spain lost its control over the remains of its overseas empire -- Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines Islands, Guam, and other islands.

• During the 1880s and 1890s, Puerto Ricans developed many different political parties, some of which looked for independence while others, headquartered like their Cuban counterparts in New York, preferred to ally with the United States.

• Spain proclaimed the autonomy of Puerto Rico on November 25, 1897, although the news did not reach the island until January 1898 and a new government established on February 12, 1898.

Right or Wrong?

• My group feels that we did the right thing.• We see benefits from it today, because we are

allies with them to this day.• We are also trade partners.

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