Name: __________________________________________ Date: _________________________Period: ____
Homework: Status of Puerto Rico Due: _________________________
1. Overview of Puerto Rico – describe each of the following
Population
Ethnic make-up
Religion
Language
Climate
2. Use a dictionary to define the word “autonomy” –
What does the reading say about Puerto Rico’s autonomy?
3. Economy – write the statistic or describe each of the following
GDP per capita unemployment
Migration exports
4. Describe 2 different ways the Spanish influenced or affected Puerto Rico:
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5. What happened to the indigenous people of Puerto Rico?
6. Use a dictionary to define the word “referendum” –
Briefly describe the results of the 2012 referendum:
7. Use the charts to answer the following question: Which demographic or economic issue reflected in the tables is the most problematic for Puerto Rican statehood? Why?
8. Use the charts to answer the following question: Which demographic or economic issue reflected in the tables is the most problematic for an independent Puerto Rico? Why?

9. Write a paragraph explaining the current political status of Puerto Rico. (Must be a minimum of five sentences)
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10. Based on the reading and data you have seen, what do you think the status of Puerto Rico should be?
(Paragraph must be a minimum of five sentences) _________________________________________________
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The island of Puerto Rico, a U.S. commonwealth territory since 1898, is located on the northeastern edge of the Caribbean Sea, to the east of the Dominican Republic and to the west of the Virgin Islands. Four-fifths of Puerto Rico's 3.6 million residents are of
Spanish origin, with approximately 8% of African origin and another 10% of mixed race. Reflecting the territory's Spanish heritage, Puerto Ricans are overwhelmingly
Roman Catholic, although there is a small Protestant minority. Spanish and English are both spoken on the island. The island enjoys a mild tropical climate with steady warm temperatures throughout the year. Puerto Rico's capital is San Juan.
Government and Politics
Because of Puerto Rico's status as a commonwealth territory within the United States,
Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens although they do not vote in U.S. elections. The United
States is responsible for Puerto Rico's defense and foreign affairs, but the territory has considerable autonomy in internal matters. Puerto Rico's executive branch is headed by a governor, elected popularly for a renewable four-year term. Puerto Rico sends a nonvoting representative to the U.S. House of Representatives. Although Puerto Rico is part of the U.S. judicial system, its laws are partially based on Spanish law, a holdover from Puerto Rico's former status as a Spanish colony. Currently, the main political parties are the New Progressive Party, which advocates for U.S. statehood, and the Popular Democratic Party, which supports maintaining the status quo.
Economy
Supported by free trade with the United States and investment from U.S. companies,
Puerto Rico has a strong, industry-driven economy, focused on manufacturing electronics and pharmaceuticals for the U.S. market. Tourism is also a mainstay of the
Puerto Rican economy. In 2008, gross domestic product per capita reached more than
$18,000, a high figure compared to other Caribbean economies. However, that figure declined to $16,300 in 2010, one of the effects of the island's worst-ever ongoing economic crisis. In 2006, Puerto Rico's economy entered a recession that has continued into 2014. Unemployment stands at 15.4% and public debt has reached $70 billion. Compounding the crisis, Puerto Rico has been losing educated young people to the mainland United States for better opportunities. Overall, the population dropped 3% between April 2010 and July 2013 alone, to 3.6 million. Although nearly all of Puerto
Rico's exports go to the United States, the territory receives imports from several other nations, including Ireland and Japan.

History
Puerto Rico's first inhabitants were the Ortoiroid people, who lived on the island approximately 5,000 years ago. They were followed by several other tribes, including the Igneri. By 1400, the predominant culture on the island was that of the Taino, an offshoot of the Arawak tribe that settled in the Greater Antilles. Taino culture was communal and hierarchical, with a rigid class structure headed by the caciques, local political and religious leaders. The Taino were known for their distinctive red and white pottery as well as for the petroglyphs they carved into stone as a means of communication. The Tainos called their island Boriquen, or "land of the great lords," a name still used by Puerto Ricans today.
The first Europeans to land on Puerto Rico were the crew of Christopher Columbus's second voyage to the Americas in 1493. Columbus and his men spotted the island on
November 19 and named it San Juan Bautista, calling the site of a port on its northern coast Puerto Rico, or "rich port." The names were exchanged in 1521, with the island becoming Puerto Rico and the main town San Juan. Columbus was warmly greeted by the Taino, who led him to the island's gold deposits and permitted his crew to take as much of the ore as they wished.
After Columbus's arrival in Puerto Rico, the islands remained untouched by Europeans for another 15 years. In 1508, Juan Ponce de Leon, who sailed with Columbus on his second voyage, returned to the island with a group of soldiers and established a
Spanish post at Caparra, in the San Juan Bay. Despite early rebellions by the Taino, the Spanish settlement quickly decimated the Taino population, with many dying from disease and others committing mass suicide to escape the slavery that Spanish settlers imposed on them. In 1519, a smallpox epidemic killed many of the remaining
Taino.
Under Spanish rule, the rich port realized its economic promise. With the importation of
African slave labor to replace the dwindling Taino population, the island's sugar and ginger crops became successful. Trade with other nations' Caribbean colonies was prohibited until 1815, giving rise to smuggling on the island. A massive rebellion against unjust social practices was mounted in 1868, but slavery was not banned in the
Spanish colonies until 1873, long after most other colonial powers had abolished the practice. In 1897, the Spanish Crown, responding to continued calls for reform, granted
Puerto Rico autonomy over its internal affairs, and Puerto Rico's elected government came into power in July 1898. However, this freedom was short-lived, as the United

States invaded the island a little over a week later as part of the Spanish-American
War. U.S. troops occupied the island, and by October of that year Puerto Rico was under the control of the U.S. military. U.S. control over Puerto Rico was confirmed by the Treaty of Paris in December 1898, and two years later a civil government under
U.S. leadership replaced the military one.
In 1917, Puerto Ricans were granted U.S. citizenship under the Jones Act, which also established the island as an unincorporated U.S. territory. A series of hurricanes struck the territory in the late 1920s and early 1930s, leaving many Puerto Ricans homeless and devastating the local economy. Discontent over the territory's administration grew, and in 1937 a proindependence rally turned violent, with some
200 people killed. Over the next few decades, steps to increase self-rule for Puerto
Rico were put in place, including allowing Puerto Ricans to vote for their governor beginning in 1947 and establishment of commonwealth status in 1952.
Since that time, Puerto Ricans have voted on the island's status four times, in 1967,
1993, 1998, and 2012. In 1967 and 1993, continuing the commonwealth status was favored over becoming independent or pursuing U.S. statehood, although maintaining the status quo failed to win a simple majority in 1993. In 1998, with only the options of continued commonwealth status or statehood, commonwealth status was again supported.
In November 2012, Puerto Ricans for the first time endorsed statehood in a nonbinding, two-part referendum. The first part asked voters whether they wished to continue the commonwealth status, and "no" votes prevailed by a margin of 52% to
48%. The second part asked voters for a preference other than commonwealth status: either U.S. statehood, independence, or becoming a "freely associated state" (more independent than the commonwealth status, but still closely allied with the U.S.).
Among those choices, U.S. statehood was the landslide winner with 61% of the vote.
However, observers noted that more than 400,000 voters who expressed a preference in the referendum's first question did not vote at all on the second, making the result perhaps less clear. In early 2014, bills were introduced in the U.S. Congress allocating money to hold a simple yes-or-no referendum in Puerto Rico on the statehood question alone. If Puerto Ricans were to clearly vote their approval for statehood, it would still require approval from Congress and the U.S. president. The question in Congress would surely become a political issue: Puerto Rico would enter as a strongly "blue"
(Democratic) state, and also as the poorest U.S. state in the midst of a serious economic crisis.

What should the political status of Puerto Rico be?
When Puerto Rico was annexed by the United States in the wake of the Spanish-
American War, it was not clear what the status of the island and its numerous inhabitants would be. Like other newly acquired territorial possessions, Puerto Rico was not considered an integral part of the United States, but rather a dependency of sorts. Unlike such territories as Cuba and the Philippines, however, Puerto Rico was never granted independence; and unlike such territories as Hawaii and Alaska, it was never granted full statehood. Instead, the U.S. government extended to the Puerto
Rican people certain rights and privileges and allowed the island a certain degree of autonomy while still retaining control.
Puerto Rico has had its own local government since 1900, and Puerto Ricans were made full U.S. citizens by Congress in 1917. Puerto Ricans can serve in (and be drafted into) the U.S. military, travel with a U.S. passport, and freely trade with or move to the United States. Yet Puerto Ricans are not subject to federal income taxes, have no voting representation in Congress, cannot vote for the U.S. president, and are not fully protected by the entirety of the U.S. Constitution. Since 1952, Puerto Rico has had its own constitution, determined and collected its own income taxes, had its own political parties, and has largely been responsible for its local affairs. However, the
Puerto Rican government has very little control over anything other than practical administration of the island. Perhaps most importantly, it cannot determine its own political status —that power lies with the U.S. Congress. Though several attempts have been made to gauge popular opinion among Puerto Ricans, there has been no change in the island's status in more than 50 years. Some want Puerto Rico to become a full state, others hope for eventual independence, and still others believe that continuation of the current status quo is the most beneficial arrangement for Puerto Rico. With opinion divided among the populace and politicians in both Puerto Rico and the mainland United States, it is important to consider the question: What should be the political status of Puerto Rico?
What should be the political status of Puerto Rico?
Though there are probably many possible solutions to the problems posed by Puerto
Rico's odd political status, three main viewpoints have dominated the political discourse on the island for most of the last century. The first of these is that Puerto
Rico should be allowed to join the Union as the 51st state, fully incorporated alongside those of the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. The second viewpoint is that Puerto Rico should become an independent country, responsible for itself and able to solely decide what is in the best interests of its people. The third option is to make permanent the existing commonwealth status, perhaps with some minor changes that would address some of the most prominent associated issues.

Status of Puerto Rico – Analyzing Statistics
Demographic and economic issues are among the key points of contention in the debate over the political status of Puerto Rico. While ideals of equality and political self-determination are important motivations in attempting to solve the status dilemma, practical considerations about viability as a U.S. state or an independent nation are often more important factors influencing the opinion of the people and the politicians in both Puerto Rico and the incorporated United States.
Following are two tables displaying key statistics on Puerto Rico and comparing each to states and countries with similar figures as well as to the United States as a whole.
The third table compares key statistics of Puerto Rico with those of the District of
Columbia (Washington, D.C.), which like Puerto Rico is not a state and does not have full voting representation in Congress, but unlike Puerto Rico is an incorporated part of the United States. (All data are the most recent available as of July 2009.) Examine the tables and think about the comparisons.
Area and Demographics:
Puerto Rico
Total Area
Land Area
Population
5,325 sq. miles
3,425 sq. miles
3,971,020
Closest U.S. States
Closest Sovereign
Countries
United States
Connecticut (5,543 sq. miles),
Delaware (2,489 sq. miles),
New Jersey (8,721 sq. miles),
New Hampshire
(9,350 sq. miles),
Rhode Island (1,545 sq. miles)
Connecticut (4,845 sq. miles),
Delaware (1,954 sq, miles),
Hawaii (6,423 sq. miles),
New Jersey (7,417 sq. miles),
Rhode Island (1,045 sq. miles),
The Bahamas (5,382 sq. miles),
Montenegro (5,415 sq. miles),
East Timor (5,794 sq. miles),
Vanuatu (4,710 sq. miles)
3,794,083 sq. miles
The Bahamas (3,888 sq. miles),
Gambia (3,861 sq. miles),
Jamaica (4,182 sq. miles),
Kosovo (4,203 sq. miles),
Lebanon (3,950 sq. miles)
3,537,483 sq. miles
Connecticut
(3,501,252),
Albania (3,639,453),
Congo Republic
Kentucky (4,269,245), (4,012,809),
Louisiana Costa Rica
(4,410,796),
Oklahoma
(4,253,877),
Croatia (4,489,409),
304,059,724

Median Age
Primary
Spanish
Speakers
32.1
3,501,584
(3,642,361),
Oregon (3,790,060)
Ireland (4,203,200)
Alaska (32.4),
California (33.3),
Georgia (33.4),
Idaho (33.2),
Texas (32.3)
Armenia (31.5),
Chile (31.4),
Mauritius (31.9),
Palau (32.2.),
Trinidad and Tobago
(32.1)
35.3
Arizona (1,231,337),
Florida (3,157,456),
Illinois (1,497,093),
New York
(2,543,620),
Texas (6,205,378)
Panama (more than
2,100,000, estimated),
Uruguay (more than
3,000,000, estimated),
Costa Rica (more than 3,300,000, estimated),
Bolivia (more than
3,480,000, estimated)
Nicaragua (more than 4,350,000, estimated)
33,701,181
Majority
Religious
Group
Connecticut (Roman
Catholic
—43%),
Massachusetts
(Roman Catholic —
Roman
Catholic —85% of
43%),
New Jersey (Roman
Catholic —43%), population
New York (Roman
Catholic
—39%)
Rhode Island (Roman
Catholic —43%),
Cuba (Roman
Catholic —85%),
France (Roman
Catholic —85%),
Ireland (Roman
Catholic
—87%),
Panama (Roman
Catholic —85%),
Portugal (Roman
Catholic —85%)
Protestant
51.3%
—
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American FactFinder, U.S. Census Bureau 2009 Statistical Abstract, CIA World Factbook,
Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life: U.S. Religious Landscape Survey (all accessed July 17, 2009)
Economy:
Puerto
Rico
Closest U.S. States
Closest Sovereign
Countries
United
States
Gross Domestic
Product (GDP)
$88 billion
Arkansas ($99 billion),
Mississippi ($90 billion),
Nebraska ($83 billion),
New Hampshire ($63
Angola ($96 billion),
Bangladesh ($83 billion),
Iraq ($94 billion),
$14.4 trillion

GDP Per Capita $22,161 billion), New Mexico ($77 billion)
Morocco ($90 billion),
Vietnam ($91 billion)
Arkansas ($34,437),
Kentucky ($36,643),
Michigan ($38,241),
Mississippi ($31,233),
West Virginia ($33,978)
Bahamas ($22,556),
Czech Republic
($21,251),
Malta ($21,272),
Portugal ($23,920),
Trinidad and Tobago
($19,621)
$47,359
Delaware ($7.4 billion),
Montana ($7.1 billion),
Government Revenues $6.7 billion
New Hampshire ($7.2 billion),
Rhode Island ($8.4 billion),
Wyoming ($5.8 billion)
Bahrain ($7.2 billion),
Brunei ($6.9 billion),
Equatorial Guinea
($7.1 billion),
Kenya ($6.6. billion),
Lebanon ($7.0 billion)
$2.5 trillion
Government
Expenditures
Labor Force
$9.6 billion
1,312,600
Alaska ($9.2 billion),
Hawaii ($9.8 billion),
Maine ($7.9 billion),
Nevada ($10.8 billion),
West Virginia ($9.8 billion)
Arkansas (1,367,100),
Mississippi (1,295,500),
Nevada (1,400,500),
Utah (1,371,500)
Bosnia and
Herzegovina ($8.9 billion),
Dominican Republic
($9.1 billion),
Estonia ($9.1 billion),
Lebanon ($10.0 billion),
Serbia ($9.8 billion)
$2.9 trillion
Armenia (1,168,100),
Bosnia and
Herzegovina
(1,196,000),
Latvia (1,191,100),
Moldova (1,313,900),
Panama (1,355,928)
154,455,600
Unemploymed
Population
Unemployment Rate
Government in 2007
Aid from U.S. Federal
190,200
14.5%
Alabama (215,600),
Colorado (204,100),
Kentucky (226,100),
Maryland (215,200),
Nevada (167,400)
Michigan (15.2%),
Nevada (12.0%),
Oregon (12.2%),
Rhode Island (12.4%),
South Carolina (12.1%)
Austria (185,600),
Croatia (171,000),
Finland (183,000),
Israel (211,800),
Palestinian
Autonomous Region
(183,689)
Arkansas ($4.5 billion),
$5.4 billion
Connecticut ($4.9 billion),
Oklahoma ($5.5 billion),
Oregon ($5.0 billion),
Afghanistan ($7.3 billion),
Egypt ($1.8 billion),
Iraq ($6.1 billion),
14,736,400
Croatia (14.8%),
Maldives (14.4%),
Montenegro (14.7%),
St. Vincent and the
Grenadines (15.0%),
Tunisia (14%)
9.5%
N/A

South Carolina ($5.9 billion)
Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia:
Puerto Rico
Israel ($2.8 billion),
Colombia ($771 mil)
Total Area
Land Area
Population
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
GDP Per Capita
Labor Force
Unemployed Population
5,325 sq. miles
3,425 sq. miles
3,971,020
$88 billion
$22,161
1,312,600
190,200
District of Columbia
68 sq. miles
61 sq. miles
591,833
$94 billion
$158,829
332,200
30,600
Unemployment Rate 14.5% 10.9%
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: Regional Economic Accounts, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,
U.S. Census Bureau 2009 Statistical Abstract, U.S. Census Bureau Federal Aid to States for Fiscal Year 2007,
International Labour Organization LABORSTA, CIA World Factbook (all accessed July 17, 2009)
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis:
Regional Economic Accounts, CIA World Factbook (all accessed July 17, 2009)
"Status of Puerto Rico: Investigate." World Geography: Understanding a Changing World . ABC-CLIO, 2013. Web.
1 Dec. 2013.
"Puerto Rico." World Geography: Understanding a Changing World . ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 1 Dec. 2014.
"Status of Puerto Rico: Key Question." World Geography: Understanding a Changing World . ABC-CLIO, 2013.
Web. 1 Dec. 2013.