Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is a US Territory and contains no provinces, no states, no territories, no counties. It is divided into 78 municipal subdivisions.

The main drawback for Puerto Rican citizens is they would no longer be exempt paying from Federal income tax on money earned in Puerto Rico. To be clear, Puerto Ricans pay PLENTY of taxes to the Federal government in payroll, Social Security, Unemployment, capital gains, interest income tax, and every other type of federal taxes on all income earned. Puerto Rican residents also pay federal income tax on money earned anywhere off the island. And they also pay massive state and municipal taxes. So the loss of the Federal income tax exemption is not a little thing.

Many companies that have located factories and other facilities in Puerto Rico for tax abatements would be likely to lose these tax cuts. This could cause an economic downturn on the island if businesses move out.

Another perceived disadvantage to Statehood, and really the biggest issue to many, is the alleged loss of cultural identity. Many people who vote against statehood do so because they believe that doing so would be turning their back on the 500 year-old Puerto Rican culture and way of life. This is something that is hard to battle with facts. It is an emotional argument with little to support it since Puerto Rico is in just about every other respect as much a part of the US as the District of Columbia already, but none-the-less it is very real to those who feel this way.

The main drawback for the US Government is purely political. Puerto Rico is overwhelmingly Democratic (as opposed to Republican). If Puerto Rico would become a state, it is estimated that it would have 6 or 7 representatives in the US House of Representatives and, of course, two Senators. Chances are that 5 or 6 of not all the Representatives and both Senators elected would be Democrats. This would tip the balance of power in the House and Senate as it stands right now.

Another drawback for the US government is that the aide programs would get larger in order to meet the same levels as other states receive on a per-capita basis. The aide that PR would receive in health, human services, education, infrastructure, etc would be more than what the Federal government would receive in new income taxes.

It is a part of the United States, but is not a State, it remains a Territory

Italians and Chinese.

Germans and Irish.

Poles and Croatians.

Syrians and Lebanese.

Spanish and Africans.

Welsh and Vietnamese.

Korean and Jewish.

Hawaiians and Aleuts.

Native American and Samoans.

There are 4,000.000 people living in Puerto Rico and the demographics in such a large population astound both geneticists and statisticians.

The proud and noble Italian surname of Rico derives from the Italian word "ricco", meaning "curly". Most researchers agree that this probably referred to a person with curly hair.

Historically, both the movement for Puerto Rican statehood and the movement for Puerto Rican independence have known only marginal popular support, probably because just about anyone who lives there thinks that the Commonwealth status is best for the island. Residents know they have nothing to gain by statehood or independence, and everything to lose. Statehood would be a disaster, instantly lowering Puerto Rico's status to being the poorest of U.S. States while also costing the island's economy many millions of dollars in Federal monies. It would make residents of Puerto Rico liable for federal income tax, from which they are now exempt. It would damage beyond repair the rich Puerto Rican cultural heritage that is currently enjoying a renaissance, partly by requiring the exclusive use of the English language in public schools, and it would bring hundreds of other unwelcome intrusions. The chief, and perhaps the only benefit of statehood is that residents of Puerto Rico could then vote in U.S. Presidential elections, and would have the same representation in Congress that the residents of the other States have. So far, that has not seemed worth the price.

This is the symbolism according to the 1895 meeting:

Red Stripes - The blood from the brave warriors.

White Stripes - Victory and peace after obtaining indepence.

Blue Triangle - Our sky and coastal waters.

White Lone Star - Our beautiful Island.

The Foraker Act granted only partial, rather than full citizenship to Puerto Ricans. It left the legal status of the island nebulous. The Jones Shafroth Act increased their representation and allowed for a popularly elected senate, all laws still needed to pass through Congress. Many Puerto Ricans were aggrieved at both bills, because they continued to only provide them partial rights.

San Juan is both the Capital and the largest city.

Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States. Puerto Rico defense is provided by US goverment. Puerto Rico is like a state of the union. Same rules apply.

That may happen some day, but for now it is a US Territory.

Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky are the four commonwealths of the US.

There was no Governor. Columbus discovered what would later become Puerto Rico during his second voyage to the New World in 1493. The Conquistador Ponce de Leon was a passenger on that trip and would became the First Governor of that island in 1509.

Puerto Rico is part of the United States. It is called a commonwealth.

The Taino Indians were in Puerto Rico when the Europeans arrived. The archeological evidence indicates that Indians were already there in 2000 BCE and he (Christopher Columbus) claimed both the land and the Indians which he enslaved on his second voyage in 1493.

Subic Bay Naval Base and Clark Air Force Base were in the Philippines, but closed shortly after Mount Pinatubo volcano eruption severely damaged both bases.

Puerto Ricans migrated to the united states in the 20th century around the 1900's. They all came here in search of better jobs, they, along with many other americans, lost there jobs because the great depression affected them as well. Since Puerto Rico was apart of the United Sates, they all traveled here on a boat to new york. Eventually the population of Puerto Ricans grew because of the cheap airline tickets and the advancements in aerotechnology.

My Class and I read the book"Lupita Manana", and most Hispanic people come to the United States for better job opportunities family, or because they just want to start a new and better lifestyle for their family. Another reason is so they can speak English and so they can make more money, and put food on their tables. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is a part of the US. So asking why Puerto Ricans come to US?, is much like asking Why do Californians Come to Texas? Or Pennsylvanias to New York? In third world countries such as Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela and others, Latinos there come to the US for the Mighty Dollar which is probably 2 or 3 times the rate of the currency in their own countries. So for them to come here and make a dollar and send it back home and have 3 "dollars" at home is the smart thing to do.

The United States received the property as part of the settlement of the Spanish-American War. Due to Puerto Rico's strategic location and its distance away from the Panama Canal, the US only strengthen its ties to the island.

Puerto Rico also inhabits a kind of strange legal limbo land with regards to its sovereignty and owership. It is technically the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. All Puerto Ricans are US Citizens, but it is not a full State, not a Territory, and not an Administered Region. In all likelihood, should a referendum declaring independence pass at some point, it would be legally binding (which is NOT the case for Territories and States, which cannot legally secede). Until such a point, however, Puerto Rico is considered legal US soil, and thus, is "owned" by the United States.

It was a Spanish Colony for more than 400 years.

No, puerto Rico is not a US State. It is an organized territory of the United States, and is style in English as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Its government is supjec to the Congress of the United States, its head of state is the President of the United States, and its people are citizens of the united States.

Juan Ponce de Leon was the first Governor of Puerto Rico. His Grandson, Juan Ponce de Leon II was the first native Puerto Rican to hold the office as interim Governor in 1579 and the 31st Governor. A total of nine individuals held that office in 1898 including the first three US born: Commanding General Nelson A. Miles, Major General John Brooke and Major General Guy Vernon Henry. The Spanish General Ricardo de Ortega y Diez held the post three different times during that difficult year of the Spanish American War.

The first civilian Governor was Charles Herbert Allen who was appointed by President William McKinley in 1900.

In 1934 President Franklin Roosevelt appointed retired Major General Blanton Winship as the Military Governor of Puerto. Roosevelt removed him from office in 1939 after the Ponce Massacre for abusing the Civil Rights of Puerto Ricans.

Retired Chief of Naval Operations William Daniel Leahy was appointed by Roosevelt to the post in 1939. Leahy was relieved by Roosevelt to become the Ambassador to France after Germany occupied Paris and was recalled to active duty when the US entered WWII as Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief.

Jesus Toribio Pinero became the first native born Puerto Rican to become Governor by appointment of the US President in 1946.

Luis Munoz Marin took office as the first elected Governor in 1949 and held it until 1965.

Governors of Puerto Rico have ranged from the mundane to some of the greats in American and Puerto Rican history.

Sugar was the primary cash crop of the Caribbean.

The Treaty of Paris in 1898 settled the claims and counter-claims between the participants of the Spanish American War. Spain ceded Guam, the Philippines and Puerto Rico and gave up any claim to Cuba. In exchange the United States paid Spain $20 million dollars which was a token sum and essentially it was window dressing so that the treaty appeared to be less of a back alley mugging and more like diplomacy in action. It was hardly a negotiated purchase.