Here's Why Puerto Rico Is Part of the U.S. — Sort Of | History

Learn about Puerto Rico's complex history, starting with its Spanish rule to becoming a U.S. territory. See how its eventual commonwealth status, the 2006 recession, and 2017's Hurricane Maria have caused political and economic upheaval.
/posts

HISTORY Topical Video
Season 1
Episode 1

Whether you're looking for more on American Revolution battles, WWII generals, architectural wonders, secrets of the ancient world, U.S. presidents, Civil War leaders, famous explorers or the stories behind your favorite holidays.

HISTORY, now reaching more than 98 million homes, is the leading destination for award-winning original series and specials that connect viewers with history in an informative, immersive, and entertaining manner across all platforms. The network’s all-original programming slate features a roster of hit series, epic miniseries, and scripted event programming. Visit us at HISTORY.com for more info.

[tedfebo]

Puerto Rico means rich port, not rich coast. That's Costa Rica.

[LopezBoricua]

It surprises me how many people in the US don’t know that we are US citizens

[Dangic]

He failed to mention that the tax incentives that brought over manufacturing to the island was eliminated by Congress in 1996.
Most of the companies fled.
And the economy started the decline since that date.

[UwUChito]

dude im not even from puerto rico, im mexican and i can tell you for sure that its rich port.

[nelsonlugo]

despite obviously adequately researched, anyone who actually knows Puerto Rican history would definitely consider this video an epic fail.

[robertgonzalez]

Puerto Rico means Rich Port Not Rich Coast

[dragonweirdocreap]

Who's idea was to fit a video like this in a 3:28 time slot.

[Dangic]

The US sends to PR every year about $5 Billion in federal aid and programs.
The US extracts from PR every year about $70 billion to its coffers.
No status will change in the island until it’s no longer profitable for the US to maintain possession of the colony.

[fernandgutez]

Failed to mention that since 1917, anyone born in Puerto Rico is a US citizen by birth. Since that same year, more people were drafted into the US Armed Forces just like any other State. Also failed to mention, that in 1916, the Congress of Puerto Rico asked the US for Independence and was denied, and the following year, the people were force into becoming US citizen. By the way, Native American heritage in Boriken goes back to over 3, 000 years.

[kzayas]

Can’t Believe that a National Geographic video has sooo much wrong data.

[Dangic]

The status has never changed since 1901.
PR is still in the books of law, an unincorporated territory of the US.
The commonwealth naming is just that....a name.
The territorial clause has never changed.

[rebecca]

Very inaccurate, specially the political aspect of it. I'm surpirsed of how bad this video is....History Channel needs a new Caribbean advisor.

[johnrodriguez]

I Am Prior Service USMC and US Army and a proud Puerto Rican living in Arizona. Vaya Boricua para siempre !!🇺🇸🇵🇷🦅🗽😆

[yanakatsukieabenitez]

Also 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 and soldiers of the U.S. 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 back.
The Río Piedras massacre occurred on October 24, 1935, at the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras. Local police officers under U.S. command confronted and opened fire on supporters of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party. Four Nationalist Party members were killed, and one police officer was wounded during the shooting.
One session exposed the destruction of the environment. Testimony from the city of Guayama — where coal plants poison the earth with carbon ash and heavy metals, causing maladies among the residents — indicted U.S. corporations. From the island of Vieques, testimony exposed how the U.S. Navy tested weapons there for over 60 years, poisoning the soil and the people.
In the session on “120 Years of Repression and Resistance, ”

The last the U.S let 3000 people die in Maria do n't public the number of the in the island.Don't really help Puerto Rico.The U.S bertray us!

[pabloalvez]

The dude on the video left out the fact that Puerto Rico had also received a large migration, not only from Canary Islands but from Mallorca and Corsica as well, and that there's always been a great mix of different people which helped to form Puerto Rican culture.

[ignaciovinas]

I love how you critize Spain for the use of slaves in Puerto Rico, yet the USA did exactly the same, if not worse, for even more timw

[bitbook]

Puerto Rico is technically still a colony, or in other words, territory.

[mjz]

There’s no mention of the fact that the people of Puerto Rico voted to become a state several times but US Congress overrode that vote and voted to keep it a commonwealth.

[manueldejlopezalamo]

You have a Mistake in 2012 Puerto Rico have a plebisite and 66% vote for statehood. In 2017 again have a plebisite and 97% Vote for statehood...

[mrspartan]

Puerto Rico does not mean Rich coast it mean rich port. Costa Rica means rich coast.