Puerto Rico

Clifford Berryman's political cartoon "Separated," published in the Washington Post, illustrates the congressional debate over Puerto Rican governance. Following its acquisition from Spain after the Spanish-American War, the question was whether Puerto Rico should be subject to the U.S.

Victor Gillam's 1899 cartoon critiques the imperialist concept of the same name by depicting John Bull (Britain) and Uncle Sam (U.S.) as they struggle to carry baskets filled with caricatured non-white peoples up a steep hill.

"Uncle Sam's New Class in the Art of Self-Government" is a political cartoon by W.A. Rogers. It satirizes American imperial expansion after the Spanish-American War.

In 2022, the Supreme Court addressed whether Congress's exclusion of Puerto Rico residents from the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program violated the Fifth Amendment. In an 8-1 decision in United States v. Vaello Madero, the Court held that it did not. The majority opinion reasoned that…

Puerto Rico v. Sanchez Valle was a U.S. Supreme Court case that addressed whether Puerto Rico and the federal government are separate sovereigns under the Double Jeopardy Clause of the Fifth Amendment. The case arose after two individuals were prosecuted by federal and Puerto Rican authorities for…

Torres v. Puerto Rico was a U.S. Supreme Court case that established that the Fourth Amendment's protections against unreasonable searches and seizures apply to Puerto Rico. The case arose when Terry Torres was subjected to a warrantless and suspicionless search of his luggage at a Puerto…

Puerto Rico v. Shell Co. was a key U.S. Supreme Court case that clarified the application of federal antitrust law to Puerto Rico. The case arose when Puerto Rico charged Shell Co. with violating its local antitrust law. Shell argued that the federal Sherman Act preempted Puerto Rico’s law,…

The 1901 Supreme Court case DeLima v. Bidwell marked the first of the Insular Cases. The dispute originated when the DeLima Sugar Importing Company contested the import taxes on sugar shipped from Puerto Rico to New York. The company argued that since Puerto Rico was transferred to U.S. control in…

The case of Downes v. Bidwell began in the U.S. Circuit Court for the Southern District of New York. Merchant Samuel Downes contested the constitutionality of tariffs levied on goods from Puerto Rico under the Foraker Act. He claimed these duties violated the Constitution’s Uniformity Clause. The…

Balzac v. Porto Rico was a U.S. Supreme Court case that held that the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial does not apply in unincorporated U.S. territories. Jesús M. Balzac, a newspaper editor, was convicted of criminal libel and denied a jury trial under local law despite being a U.S. citizen…

Proclamation 3869, issued by President Lyndon B. Johnson, established National Hispanic Heritage Week to recognize the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the United States in culture, business, science, and military service. The week was timed to coincide with the independence anniversaries of…

The Vieques Island protests arose between 1999 and 2003 on the small Puerto Rican island of Vieques. These protests occurred against the United States Navy’s use of the island for live‑bombing exercises dating back to World War II. They ignited after an errant 500‑pound bomb dropped on April 19, …

<p><span class="deck"> To the question of acquiring new territories overseas, and owning colonies, one group of Americans answered with a resounding “No!”</span> </p>

<p><span class="deck">Our war with Spain marked the first year of the American century.</span></p>

<p><span class="deck"> The White Man’s Burden</span> </p>