Puerto Rico Imperialism
The island of Puerto Rico was occupied by indigenous people prior to any European ever reaching the Island. On November 19, 1493 he landed on the island, naming it San Juan. On August 12, 1508 Juan Ponce de Leon, a soldier who had traveled with Columbus in 1493, invaded Puerto Rico with a small army of soldiers and became Puerto Rico's first governor. The first town established was Caparra, located near the south shore of what is today the San Juan Bay. The Tainos who lived on the island, lived in small tribes. They were not physically prepared to resist the Spaniards goal to conquer the island. Their primitive weapons were no match for the Spanish swords and powerful firearms. The Tainos were turned into slaves and used to do mining work.
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The local indigenous of the island were forced into slavery like work. These people suffered and sustained very high fatalities from outbreaks of European contagious diseases. During those times syphilis and smallpox were rampant. The Roman Catholic Church also realized the opportunity to extend its influence and brainwash people while colonizing the island. The christianity portion of the colonization is what helped a lot. People felt as if they were doing a positive thing. Due to the ever so decreasing number of indigenous people, Spain brought African slaves to the island to provide labour in the cities and coastal ports. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Spain focused its colonial endeavours in the south, north, and central areas since they were getting more money and overall more …show more content…
On November 2nd 1948, an act permitting the Puerto Ricans to select their own governor was passed by the U.S. Congress. The Public Act 600 allowing the locals to draft their own constitution which would create the island’s internal government structures was signed on July 4, 1950. The Act also changed the island’s name to the “Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.” In February 1952, Puerto Rico’s constitution was approved in a referendum by voters, was approved by a federal law and ratified in November of the same year. The same year marked the first time Puerto Rico’s flag could be displayed in public after it had been criminalized in
The local indigenous of the island were forced into slavery like work. These people suffered and sustained very high fatalities from outbreaks of European contagious diseases. During those times syphilis and smallpox were rampant. The Roman Catholic Church also realized the opportunity to extend its influence and brainwash people while colonizing the island. The christianity portion of the colonization is what helped a lot. People felt as if they were doing a positive thing. Due to the ever so decreasing number of indigenous people, Spain brought African slaves to the island to provide labour in the cities and coastal ports. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Spain focused its colonial endeavours in the south, north, and central areas since they were getting more money and overall more …show more content…
On November 2nd 1948, an act permitting the Puerto Ricans to select their own governor was passed by the U.S. Congress. The Public Act 600 allowing the locals to draft their own constitution which would create the island’s internal government structures was signed on July 4, 1950. The Act also changed the island’s name to the “Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.” In February 1952, Puerto Rico’s constitution was approved in a referendum by voters, was approved by a federal law and ratified in November of the same year. The same year marked the first time Puerto Rico’s flag could be displayed in public after it had been criminalized in