Does the us own Puerto Rico?

In 1898, following the Spanish–American War, the United States acquired Puerto Rico. Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917, and can move freely between the island and the mainland.

Did Puerto Rico vote to become a state?

This was the sixth referendum held on the status of Puerto Rico, with the previous one having taken place in 2017. Based on the completed official election night count, the option to pursue statehood won the referendum 52.52\%–47.48\%.

How did america get Puerto Rico?

For 400 years, Puerto Rico was under Spanish colonial rule. On July 25, 1898, U.S. troops invaded Puerto Rico and occupied it during the months of the Spanish-American War. When the Treaty of Paris was signed in December, ending the war, Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the United States.

Is Puerto Rico a territory?

Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States. It became a U.S. territory in 1898, when it was acquired from Spain after the Spanish-American War. With approximately 3.4 million residents, Puerto Rico is the most highly populated of all United States territories.

Why did the US keep Puerto Rico?

The strategic value of Puerto Rico for the United States at the end of the nineteenth century centered in economic and military interests. The island’s value to US policy makers was as an outlet for excess manufactured goods, as well as a key naval station in the Caribbean.

What was the Ponce massacre of 1937?

The Ponce massacre, 1937. A short history of the massacre in Puerto Rico of peaceful demonstrators calling for the release of imprisoned separatist leader Pedro Campos by police acting on the orders of the US-appointed governor.

Why was the Ponce massacre so important?

To this day, the Ponce Massacre stands as a monument of official brutality: a terrorist act by the government itself. It was a message from the U.S. to the people of Puerto Rico. It was a state-sponsored slaughter of unarmed men, women and children, for the purpose of frightening them into total submission.

What was the significance of the Puerto Rico massacre?

It was a message from the U.S. to the people of Puerto Rico. It was a state-sponsored slaughter of unarmed men, women and children, for the purpose of frightening them into total submission. It was murder in broad daylight, on Palm Sunday.

What political party was involved in the Ponce massacre?

Puerto Rican. Nationalist Party. The Ponce massacre was an event that took place on Palm Sunday, 21 March 1937, in Ponce, Puerto Rico, when a peaceful civilian march turned into a police shooting in which 19 civilians and two policemen were killed, and more than 200 civilians wounded. Most of the dead were reportedly shot in their backs.