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Travon Johnson
Professor Hill
English 101
10 December 2014
The Effects of American Colonialism on Puerto Ricos View of Itself
Puerto Rico, a nation that is brimming with trust and change, was at one time a nation
brimming with disarray. In 1508, Puerto Rico was colonized by the Spanish. In 1898, after the
Spanish American war, the United States gained control of Puerto Rico.Puerto Rico was in a
state of confusion as a result of Americas colonialism. The confusion was a result of
unreasonable work practices and financial instability, which caused many residents to leave
Puerto Rico.
After the Spanish American war Puerto Rico began to negotiate a treaty which took place
in Paris (Americas Backyard: Puerto Rico). The Treaty of Paris, established that all Puerto
Rican affairs were to be decided by the United States Congress (Americas Backyard: Puerto
Rico). Based on the treaty, any ruling, economic ideas or laws Puerto Rico wanted to pass had
to be brought before congress of the United States Congress. However the United States could
overturn Puerto Ricos rulings. In 1900 the United States built Puerto Ricos first capital building,
which housed their first group of representatives(Americas Backyard: Puerto Rico). The
representatives were elected by Puerto Rican citizens to make Puerto Ricos decisions in the
governing of Puerto Rico.
United States President Woodrow Wilson recommended that Puerto Ricans be United
States citizens. In March 1917 the U.S Congress announced that all Puerto Ricans were citizens
of the United States (Americas Backyard: Puerto Rico). One of the effects of the ruling was

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that when Puerto Ricans became U.S citizens, they were to abide by U.S laws and regulations,
such as the military laws. Almost 20,000 Puerto Ricans were drafted during World War I
(Americas Backyard: Puerto Rico). If they refused to go into the military they were sentenced
to prison for not serving. Studies have been shown that during this time, Puerto Rico sent more
troops to war than any other state in the United States (Americas Backyard: Puerto Rico).
This was known as Militarism at the time.
As a colony of the United States, Puerto Rico was extremely dependent on the United
States for its economic wellbeing. During the Great Depression, which lasted from 1929 to 1939
(Puerto Rico to New York), the United States was hit hard with economic problems. However,
Puerto Rico was hit even harder. Sugar was the main crop in Puerto Rico during the Great
Depression (Puerto Rico to New York). Due to the decreasing price of sugar, and the lack of
the United Statespurchasing large quantities of sugar during the Great Depression, Puerto Ricos
economy took a huge plunge. To save Puerto Ricos economy in 1947, Puerto Ricos
government took economic action that would change their economy from agricultural to a more
modern industrial economy (Puerto Rico to New York); the project was called Operation
Bootstrap. During Operation Bootstrap, Puerto Rico formed a system where companies were
able to establish facilities and produce goods with the help of cheap labor as well as not having
to pay any taxes. Once that was established, Puerto Rico began targeting U.S companies to
relocate to Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico to New York). The companies had many advantages such
as cheap labor, meaning they would be able to operate the factory at a lower cost, because they
would not have to pay the Puerto Rican employees as much as they were paying the employees
in the United States. The factories also had space to develop and grow with few regulations.
Puerto Rico was on its way to a healthy economy.

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Puerto Ricans were finally developing stable lives because of the increased number of
available jobs in Puerto Rico due to Operation Bootstrap. The United States did a study, and
found that there were still approximately one million Puerto Ricans left without work
(Americas Backyard: Puerto Rico). In order for Operation Bootstrap to be successful the
United States Congress ruled that one million Puerto Ricans had to leave the island ((Americas
Backyard: Puerto Rico). This ruling started a mass migration of Puerto Ricans to the United
States. This started the worlds, largest airborne migration in history (Americas Backyard:
Puerto Rico). Because the Puerto Ricans were already United States citizens, there were no
barriers for leaving Puerto Rico and migrating to the United States. The most popular area the
Puerto Ricans migrated to was East Harlem New York. As a large number of Puerto Ricans
poured into the United States, problems began to arise. Even though they were considered U.S
citizens, they were not treated as if they were. Puerto Ricans began to become racial targets. In
New York Puerto Ricans were blamed for overflowing school populations as well as fewer
available jobs (Puerto Rico to New York). Even government services were stretched.
Puerto Rico was constructed by its people, but regulated by others. Puerto Rico was first
controlled by the Spanish and then regulated by the United States after the Spanish American
War. After the United States colonized Puerto Rico and established operation Bootstrap the
government and economy became more stable. Unfortunately, many Puerto Ricans were
displaced from Puerto Rico as a result of Operation Bootstrap and ended up in the United States.
Many of them did not have the good life they thought they would have had in the land of
opportunity.

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Works Cited
Americas Backyard: Puerto Rico. Press TV Documentaries. Online Video clip.
YouTube. YouTube, 6 Oct. 2014. Web. 10 Dec 2014
.Latino America: Puerto Rico to New York. PBS Video. Online video clip. PBS. PBS,
11 Dec. 2014.Web. 10 Dec 2014

Grade: 3-/72

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