STATEHOOD

Independence, statehood, or status quo? Puerto Ricans have tried to address that question and their relationship with the United States-for more than 100 years. The island has held six referendums about the issue in the second half of the 20th century.

-  Christine Graf and Elizabeth Howard

None of those votes led to any permanent changes. But votes by Puerto Ricans alone can't change the island's status. Since Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, it's up to the U.S. Congress to pass a statute to change the situation.

An Unincorporated Territory

The United States claimed Puerto Rico after defeating Spain in the Spanish-American War in 1898. It designated Puerto Rico as an unincorporated territory. The United States used that designation to acquire overseas territories without providing a clear path to statehood for them.

Initially, the U.S. military controlled Puerto Rico. But in 1900, the U.S.

Congress passed the Foraker Act. It set up a "temporary civilian government," which gave Puerto Rico some autonomy. Puerto Ricans elected representatives to a one-house legislative assembly. They also elected a non-voting resident commissioner with limited powers to represent Puerto Rico's interests in the U.S. Congress. But the U.S. president appointed the territorial governor as well as an executive council. The president also appointed judges to a supreme court. Meanwhile, U.S. federal laws went into effect on the island.

In 1917, the United States passed the Jones-Shafroth Act. Puerto Rico's legislative body was expanded from one house to two houses-a House and a Senate. Both houses were elected by Puerto Ricans. The resident commissioner remained non-voting, but that office was granted more privileges in Congress. But the U.S. president still appointed the governor and more than half of the department heads. And the U.S. president and the governor retained veto power over the Puerto Rican legislature.