Puerto Rico is in the Caribbean, just east of the Dominican Republic with almost 300 miles of coastline-filled beaches. It is the smallest of the Greater Antilles Islands, which include Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica, along with the Navassa and Cayman Islands. There are around 3 million people in Puerto Rico, and about 5 million Puerto Ricans living in the US.
Fun Facts: The only rainforest in the US is "El Yunque", which is in Puerto Rico. Even though it is an American territory, competitions like the Olympics and pageants are attended as the individual country of Puerto Rico. The Piña Colada was invented there.
The Taíno were the first indigenous people of Puerto Rico who lived on the island for hundreds of years before the explorers arrived around 1493. In 1508, a Spanish explorer named Juan Ponce de León settled in Caparra, which is in northeastern Puerto Rico. In the 19th Century, the island produced sugar, tobacco, and coffee successfully. Slavery was abolished from 1866 to 1873, and in 1897, Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the US. The catch was that they had to abide by the provisions of the 1898 Treaty of Paris, and end the Spanish-American War. On October 18th, 1898, US troops who were fighting in the Spanish-American War raised their flag, which signified the moment when the US took control over Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico became a US territory, and the people became US citizens. In 1917, US Congress passed the Jones Act, bringing Puerto Rico major political changes by establishing a locally elected legislative branch with a Senate and House of Representatives and three branches of government. In 1948, Puerto Rico began elections for governor by popular vote, and in 1952, they enacted a constitution which paved the way for them to self-govern. That was when Puerto Rico became incorporated as an organized territory. It is a commonwealth today, meaning the relationship between the territory and the US is limited to shared traditions and economic self-interests. Citizens pay taxes and are free to travel to the US without passports. They also elect their own public officials and appeal to the US Supreme Court when needed. However, the US controls all foreign and defense interests. This was the catalyst for a change in sugar production from the "wealth and power through trade" system of Spain that is protected by the government, to a capitalist system of the US where businesses own their own production and the control of distribution of services and products for money.
Puerto Rico citizens voted on statehood in 2024, and the results were 58.2% for it and 29.5% for free association, while 12.3% was for independence. Because of the US law, only Congress is able to make a decision on statehood. Once Congress decides to approve it, then it will happen.
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