Puerto+Rico,+Guam,+Cuba,+and+the+Phillipines+-+Jenny,+Elaine

  T e r r i t o r i a l E x p a n s ion OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.             Jenny Lee <span style="color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 250%; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 250%; text-align: center;">Elaine Lee

<span style="color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 250%; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 250%; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #800080; display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 195%; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> **<span style="color: #800080; display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 144%; text-align: left;">Puerto Rico. (JL) ** <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 104%; text-align: left;"> Puerto Rico, this location is not only famous for its beautiful sites, and beaches, but also famous for it being the territory of U.S. Puerto Rico used to be a part of the Spanish colonies in the early years of age of exploration. Puerto Rico was able to develop as well as the Spanish colonies in the Americas started to stabilize, and gained social and governmental stability. There were even African slaves imported to aid the jobs of the Puerto Ricans, which evidentially shows that Puerto Ricans even got economically prosperous during the colonization of Spain. The people of Puerto Rico finally attempted to have a new government for them during the late 1890's, and it successfully opened in the year of 1898. But the problem was this. Even though they had the new "government," it really couldn't "govern" anything, because the real authority still belonged to Spain. Puerto Rico, who was not satisfied with the fact that they didn't posses any power, decided to ask for help to the United States, and gave them the information of Spanish military in March, 1898. The war between Spain and U.S began with the crossfire in San Juan in May 10th, 1898. On **August 8th of 1898**, the Spanish-American war was concluded with the results that **U.S acquired the territories in the Latin America and Western Pacific that used to be of Spanish,which includes Puerto Rico.** **The Spanish fully withdrew from Puerto Rico,** because of t**hey lost in the war,** and __Treaty of Paris__ is signed. This marks another expansion of U.S into Latin America. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">

The inhabitants of Puerto Rico actually welcomed the U.S acquisition of the island, because **they expected that they would be able to gain control over their land** now, and it is true that Puerto Rico now have more control over the region than what they had during the period of colonization of Spain. Yet, Puerto Rico still remains as a territory of U.S, still being "part" of U.S.

U.S now had another region to have a trade with, and has gained islands near Latin America, which **enabled a closer, easier interaction with them.** **Feeble or no changes** were made to the institutions of U.S, because Puerto Rico is a very small amount of land and influence, compared to the whole U.S. The land mass of Puerto Rico is **3508 square miles, and had 656328 citizen**s during the time of 1898, and now the exact amount was added to the numbers of U.S. It seems like Puerto Rico got more benefits from this expansion, because the condition of Puerto Rico increased tremendously since the expansion of U.S economically, socially and even politically.

media type="youtube" key="zWeHC-9KDOY" height="344" width="425"

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**This video explains the historical relationship between Puerto Rico and U.S.**
<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> **<span style="color: #ff9700; display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 182%; text-align: left;">Cuba <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 182%; text-align: left;">& <span style="color: #008000; display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 182%; text-align: left;">the Philippines (EL) <span style="color: #ff9700; display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 182%; text-align: left;"> <span style="color: #ff9700; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 140%; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">What were the dates of the expansion ?** On December 10, 1898, the Spanish-American War ended with the Treaty of Paris giving the United States control over ** Cuba **, Puerto Rico, the ** Philippines ,** and Guam. The U.S. had to pay Spain the sum of $20 million for possession of the territories. Early in the year, the fought over issues of the liberation of Cuba which provoked the Spanish and caused the Spanish-American War. Later the war reached the Philippines where the U.S. fought the Spanish on Manila Bay.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">**Brief explanation and conflicts of how and why the U.S. acquired the territory.** On January 25, 1898, Maine, the US battleship came to Havana and offered the American residents protection. This intimidated Spain. The explosion of Maine killed many people near the harbor. In late April that year, Spain declared war on the U.S. which is known as the <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Spanish-American War. Simply put, Spanish-American War was a fight between the colonizers and the U.S. over the liberation of Cuba. U.S. wanted to "take care" of Cuba because the American public was frustrated with Spain's oppression in its colonies. Other reasons for expanding its territory is to spread the republican government. The U.S. also expanded its territory because it wanted to have the Caribbean Sea area as well. However, even the attempt to acquire Cuba caused many conflicts by evoking Spain. One of the conflict caused was the explosion of Maine. Some publishers stated that the Spanish officials in Cuba were involved with it. This infuriated the U.S. To destroy Spain's army, the U.S. planned to invade Santiago. For their own "independence," the pro-independence rebels of Cuba helped the U.S. army to evade the Spanish defenses and reach Santiago. The U.S. naval attacks at the bay near Santiago and the attack on Santiago were destructive and successful. To end the war, the Treaty of Paris was made, which gave the authority to look over Cuba and the Philippines. Even before the Spanish-American War, the U.S. backed the Philippines during the Philippine Revolution in 1896. Having gained trust from Cuba and Philippines most definitely made it easier for the U.S. to acquire the territories.

Spain was strongly against the intervention of the U.S. When the U.S. offered the American residents protection, Spain took that as an intimidation, clearly showing its disapproval of the U.S. Spain was very unwilling to give up Cuba and the Philippines that it eventually led to a war, the Spanish-American War. Spain didn't want the U.S. to take the land in the Caribbean Sea, for it would come in handy; they didn't want other nations growing. Spain also wanted to keep its authority and control over its colonies and keep the slave trade. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> After the Spanish-American War ended, Theodore Roosevelt, who sympathized the independence movement, got rid of the treaty and granted Cubans their independence. Thus, because the U.S. was able to expand their territory to Cuba, Cuba gained its independence on May 20, 1902. Colony Cuba finally became the Republic of Cuba. The Philippines gained their independence in June 12, 1898. Although Cuba and the Philippines struggled afterwards, Cubans and Philippines could have still been Spain's colonies if it weren't for the U.S.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Did the ruling governments of the territories approve of the deals? **
 * Impact on the inhabitants of the territory.**

The expansion of territory to Cuba, Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico brought Theodore Roosevelt and the U.S. itself much respect from the American residents. Also, the Spanish-American War led to U.S. being more involved in world affairs. The relationship between the North and South Americas improved since they shared a common enemy. This war economically influenced the U.S. as well. For a 100 years, the Congress made people pay taxes for long-distance calls which often only influenced the rich Americans with phones.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Effect this expansion had on the U.S. **

Overall, the addition of this piece of land was a positive attribute to Cuba, the Philippines, and the U.S. Cuba and the Philippines freed from Spain's control because the U.S. expanded their territory to Cuba and the Philippines. After the war, the U.S. gave independence to Cuba and the Philippines. This benefited the U.S. because the U.S. became marked as a huge involvement in world affairs. Respect, resource, authority--these were the benefits the U.S. gained from expanding its territory. media type="youtube" key="JXPjh481DNc" height="344" width="425" (This is just a concise summary of the Spanish-American War. This is made by a group of students from another school who had to make this video as their project.) If you want to view a video with more details go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU5l4yQCpMM&feature=PlayList&p=12359EDDB03E0A60&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Overall... **

= GUAM (JL) =

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> Guam was also **rewarded to U.S from Spain after U.S achieved the victory in the Spanish American War in 1898.** U.S payed $20 million dollars to get Guam from Spain. The population of Guam was about **10,000 citizens, and it is 271 square miles in territory.** As soon as U.S inherited Guam from Spain, Guam went though **many improvements** in the field of education, public works, taxes, and agriculture.

United States **didn't get much benefit** from obtaining this land, because at that time it didn't have much value. But as Guam became famous for its tremendous sites, it was renowned as the most famous place to go on a vacation to. U.S is not making lots of benefits because of the **environmental advantages** that this place has and its **amazing income** from the tourists. It seems like both Guam and U.S got benefit from the expansion of the U.S, because without Guam, U.S wouldn't get the benefits as a tourist site, and without the support of U.S in the first place, Guam would have never reached its prosperity it has now by itself.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">BIBLIORAPHY:
"History." Welcome to Puerto Rico. Magaly Rivera. Web. 26 Aug. 2009. <http://welcome.topuertorico.org/>. "Guam history and culture." Guam-online.com. Web. 26 Aug. 2009. <http://www.guam-online.com>. "Puerto Rico - History and Heritage | Puerto Rico | Smithsonian Magazine." History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places | Smithsonian Magazine. Web. 26 Aug. 2009. <http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/destination-hunter/north-america/caribbean-atlantic/puerto-rico/puerto-rico-history-heritage.html>. "Puerto Rico and the U.S. Island Areas - Brief History of the U.S. Island Areas." Census Bureau Home Page. Web. 26 Aug. 2009. <http://www.census.gov/population/www/proas/pr_ia_hist.html>. "Territorial Expansion." Infoplease: Encyclopedia, Almanac, Atlas, Biographies, Dictionary, Thesaurus. Free online reference, research & homework help. — Infoplease.com. Web. 26 Aug. 2009. <http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004991.html>. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWeHC-9KDOY "The History of Cuban-American Relations." Ianchadwick. 9 May 2004. Web. 27 Aug. 2009. <http://www.ianchadwick.com/essays/cubahistory.html>. "The History of Cuban-American Relations." Ianchadwick. 9 May 2004. Web. 27 Aug. 2009. <http://www.ianchadwick.com/essays/cubahistory.html>. "History of Territorial Expansion." National atlas.gov. 29 Apr. 2008. Web. 27 Aug. 2009. <http://nationalatlas.gov/articles/history/a_expansion.html>. "Treaty of Peace Between the United States and Spain; December 10, 1898." The Avalon Project. Web. 27 Aug. 2009. <http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/sp1898.asp>. "Spanish American War Chronology." Spanamwar. Web. 27 Aug. 2009. <http://www.spanamwar.com/timeline.htm>.

images:
"File:Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg -." Wikimedia Commons. Web. 26 Aug. 2009. <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Puerto_Rico_%281952-1995%29.svg>. File:US flag 45 stars.svg -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 26 Aug. 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_flag_45_stars.svg>. "File:Flag of Guam.svg -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. Web. 26 Aug. 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Guam.svg>. Map of the Philippines-.<http://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/cur/wwII/WWII-p1-04/brooke-p1-jjp-4-1-04/images/map-philippines.gif.> Map of Cuba-.<http://www.cuba-vacationspots.com/content_images/1/Cuba.gif> Video Clip of Spanish-American War <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXPjh481DNc>