Puerto Rico

Since the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1493 on behalf of King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I, the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico was a colony of Spain.  However, that changed as a result of the Spanish-American War.

After antigovernment rioting broke out in Cuba (another Spanish colony) in January 1898, U.S. President William McKinley sent the battleship Maine to Havana harbor to protect American interests there.  On February 15, 1898, the Maine blew up under mysterious circumstances.  Of a crew of 355 officers and sailors, 261 were killed.  Influenced by "yellow journalism," the American public blamed Spain for the loss of life.  

On April 19, 1898, "the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution (signed by McKinley) recognizing Cuban independence and demanding Spanish withdrawal from the island.  The president was also granted the power to use military might to enforce the resolution.  Spain officially broke off relations with the United States on April 21, enabling Congress to declare on April 25 that a state of war existed between the two countries."

American troops landed in Cuba in June 1898.  The following month the Spanish fleet there was destroyed.  

McKinley then demanded the transfer of control over Puerto Rico as a condition for peace.  On July 25, 1898, some 18,000 U.S. troops landed in Guanica Bay in Puerto Rico.  On August 13, Spain agreed to all U.S. terms. 
   
On October 18, 1898 (122 years ago today), American soldiers raised the American flag in Puerto Rico, formalizing U.S. control of the island.

Since then, Puerto Rico has been a territory/commonwealth of the United States.  In 1917, as a result of the Jones Act (signed by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson), all Puerto Ricans born on or after April 25, 1898 were granted U.S. citizenship.  

In 1947, the U.S. Congress passed a law, signed by President Harry Truman, allowing Puerto Ricans the right to elect their own governor.  In 1948, Munoz Marin became the first popularly elected governor.  

On November 1, 1950, two Puerto Rican nationalists attempted to assassinate President Truman.  One was killed and the other served 29 years in federal prison before having his sentence commuted by President Jimmy Carter.

In a 2017 plebiscite, 97% of voters on the island chose for Puerto Rico to become the 51st state of the USA.  Its population is 3.2 million, larger than the states of Iowa, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kansas, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, West Virginia, Nebraska, Idaho, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming.  

I am a supporter of Puerto Rican statehood (along with that of the District of Columbia).  Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina opposes statehood because it would dilute GOP control of the United States Senate.  A good enough reason?