The Americanization of Puerto Rico :: American History

The Americanization of Puerto RicoWhen island inhabitants first heard that Americans were planning on invading Puerto Rico and driving out Spains rulers, Puerto Ricans welcomed the unification Americans to their home. (To view an in-progress work dealing with the Spanish-American War from a pro-colonial expansion point of view, visit this site/ For an objective historical account view this site). The Puerto Ricans were tired of non having a voice in politics and government and with the knowledge that America was a democracy, there was hope that this status quo would change. Although Puerto Ricans felt sentiments of fear at the arrival of the Americans, this did not curb their welcoming and enabling the American invasion. Unfortunately, the outcome of the invasion was not as positive as was thought it would be. During early U.S. rule, Puerto Ricans still were not included in the majority of governmental relations, and as with Spaniards, Americans who were sent to rule in Puerto R ico had never been there before and were ignorant about the history, culture, Spanish language, etc. Basically, Puerto Rico continued being ruled by foreigners who sought to complete their own interests, as opposed to looking to what atomic number 18 the interests of the nation they are invading and ruling. A cogent metaphor in Ferrs novel for the unrequited hopes that Puerto Rico had when United States invaded is Tony Torres, who is supposedly going to dance in Kerenskis adaptation of thread Lake and Firebird . The people who lived in Machuelo Abajo reacted to the news of Tony with respect and excitement. In my view, the initial reactions of Machuelo Abajos young people, were on a smaller scale, comparable to the reaction of Puerto Ricans, especially the elite, to the proposed American invasion. Here is a sample of the reaction to Tonys being selected as Prince in the ballet schools production The young people in Machuelo Abajo saw him as a hero it was the first time anyone from the slums had ever danced at La Perla or taken part in any way in any of its comely cultural events. When posters advertising the performance, with Tonys picture, appeared all over town-affixed to the telephone poles and to the walls of buildings and to fences-the people of Manchuelo Abajo took them down, framed them, and hung them in their living rooms. (Ferr, p. 170) The Puerto Ricans, especially upper class, regarded the United States as the most effective democracy in the world.