In its beginnings, Puerto Rico was inhabited by people who came from the Orinoco region, located in South America With the passage of time and the arrival of other peoples, they have developed a culture called Taino. When the Spaniards reached Puerto Rico, the natives already accounted for a population that varied between 30 and 60 thousand Indians. Relied on a political organization rather complex and were fighting against the invading Carib Indians.
Following a trend common to the process of colonization, Puerto Rico also had its history marked by the exploitation of indigenous labor and the development of the missionary activities of the Church. The confrontational relationship with the Europeans eventually causing the death of thousands of natives. Over time, the Spaniards were forced to import African slaves which also marked the formation of the Puerto Rican people.
Because of their wealth and the obvious strategic location, Puerto Rico was the target of several invasion attempts by other mercantilist nations. In 1528, a group of French privateers attempted to enter the country imposing the looting and destruction of the village of San Germán, in the southwestern portion of the territory. In the late sixteenth century, more forceful attack was organized by the British. Already in the seventeenth century, the Dutch also organized military action.
In the nineteenth century, during the Napoleonic invasions, the Puerto Rican population was mobilized around autonomous political organizations that should contain the advance of the French. In practice, these new institutions eventually take important steps towards political and economic independence to undertake the opening of its ports. It is noteworthy that many Spaniards fled to Puerto Rico by the offensive of the troops of Napoleon Bonaparte.
After the fall of Napoleon, the independence movement in Puerto Rico seemed to disrupt the reconstruction of the old colonial agreement. In 1868, an attempted revolution was designed with the establishment of a revolt called "Grito de Lares." Soon after, a series of liberal reforms in Spain determined the end of slavery there. In the next decade, we have the formation of several political parties in the country.
In November 1897, the Spanish government itself paved the way for independence on the official called the Autonomic Charter. Through this document, trade with other nations was finally released. However, the Spanish government has secured some limited rights granted this independence. Thus, pro-independence groups sued definitive support of Americans for the Spanish dominion was extinguished.
Thereafter, the independence of Puerto Rico would be sustained at the expense of political and economic intervention of the United States. Until the first decades of the twentieth century, the Puerto Rican nation shared the same flag and currency of the United States. In the 1950s, the U.S. interventionist action was answered with a popular uprising known as the "Grito de Jayuya". Through heavy and violent military action, the United States prevented the uprising spreading.
Known as "Free Associated State" to the United States, many Puerto Ricans believe that the country's autonomy is incomplete. However, several plebiscites conducted approve the maintenance of this unique political status. This makes it difficult to formalize the idea that the United States act as a way to restrict the freedom in that country. In 2003, the U.S. political authorities assumed the existence of a colonial condition in Puerto Rico.
Time after time, the end of the condition of "Free Associated State" and the creation of an independent republic gaining ground among the population. In 2003, the United States were forced to disable a military base in the town of Vieques, after a bomb dropped from an observation post killing a civilian. In 2005, members of the FBI discovered the hideout of the revolutionary leader Filiberto Ojeda. During exchange of fire, he was killed by American agents.
Using the table above, we see that Puerto Rico still lives a political situation extremely contradictory. A part of the population believes that the proximity to the United States offers a kind of safeguard the political and economic condition of the country. On the other hand, the actions of the U.S. and incisive demand for full autonomy incite others to advocate a definitive rupture.
By Rainer Sousa
Graduated in History
Following a trend common to the process of colonization, Puerto Rico also had its history marked by the exploitation of indigenous labor and the development of the missionary activities of the Church. The confrontational relationship with the Europeans eventually causing the death of thousands of natives. Over time, the Spaniards were forced to import African slaves which also marked the formation of the Puerto Rican people.
Because of their wealth and the obvious strategic location, Puerto Rico was the target of several invasion attempts by other mercantilist nations. In 1528, a group of French privateers attempted to enter the country imposing the looting and destruction of the village of San Germán, in the southwestern portion of the territory. In the late sixteenth century, more forceful attack was organized by the British. Already in the seventeenth century, the Dutch also organized military action.
In the nineteenth century, during the Napoleonic invasions, the Puerto Rican population was mobilized around autonomous political organizations that should contain the advance of the French. In practice, these new institutions eventually take important steps towards political and economic independence to undertake the opening of its ports. It is noteworthy that many Spaniards fled to Puerto Rico by the offensive of the troops of Napoleon Bonaparte.
After the fall of Napoleon, the independence movement in Puerto Rico seemed to disrupt the reconstruction of the old colonial agreement. In 1868, an attempted revolution was designed with the establishment of a revolt called "Grito de Lares." Soon after, a series of liberal reforms in Spain determined the end of slavery there. In the next decade, we have the formation of several political parties in the country.
In November 1897, the Spanish government itself paved the way for independence on the official called the Autonomic Charter. Through this document, trade with other nations was finally released. However, the Spanish government has secured some limited rights granted this independence. Thus, pro-independence groups sued definitive support of Americans for the Spanish dominion was extinguished.
Thereafter, the independence of Puerto Rico would be sustained at the expense of political and economic intervention of the United States. Until the first decades of the twentieth century, the Puerto Rican nation shared the same flag and currency of the United States. In the 1950s, the U.S. interventionist action was answered with a popular uprising known as the "Grito de Jayuya". Through heavy and violent military action, the United States prevented the uprising spreading.
Known as "Free Associated State" to the United States, many Puerto Ricans believe that the country's autonomy is incomplete. However, several plebiscites conducted approve the maintenance of this unique political status. This makes it difficult to formalize the idea that the United States act as a way to restrict the freedom in that country. In 2003, the U.S. political authorities assumed the existence of a colonial condition in Puerto Rico.
Time after time, the end of the condition of "Free Associated State" and the creation of an independent republic gaining ground among the population. In 2003, the United States were forced to disable a military base in the town of Vieques, after a bomb dropped from an observation post killing a civilian. In 2005, members of the FBI discovered the hideout of the revolutionary leader Filiberto Ojeda. During exchange of fire, he was killed by American agents.
Using the table above, we see that Puerto Rico still lives a political situation extremely contradictory. A part of the population believes that the proximity to the United States offers a kind of safeguard the political and economic condition of the country. On the other hand, the actions of the U.S. and incisive demand for full autonomy incite others to advocate a definitive rupture.
By Rainer Sousa
Graduated in History
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