Puerto Rican Identity and Spanish Colonial Rule Essay

Puerto Rican Identity and Spanish Colonial Rule The debate on Puerto Rican Identity is a hot bed of controversy, especially in today’s society where American colonialism dominates most of the island’s governmental and economic policies. The country wrestles with the strong influence of its present day colonizers, while it adamantly tries to retain aspects of the legacy of Spanish colonialism. Despite America’s presence, Puerto Ricans maintain what is arguably their own cultural identity which seems largely based on the influence of Spain mixed with customs that might have developed locally. The features of the formation of the Puerto Rican people under Spanish rule are therefore critical in addressing questions on Puerto Rican†¦show more content†¦Puerto Rico’s early economic development under Spanish rule was characterized by the creation of settlements particularly in the interior of the island where the land was used for cattle rearing and farming. (Figueroa lecture Sept.98) By the late 1550’s to early 1600’s the meager agricultural sector did not develop and therefore was not sustainable as there were not enough contact with international traders. (Scarano, 4) The sector was also stifled by the royal trade restriction that Spanish colonies could only trade with the mother land. Furthermore, most of the Crown’s attention was focused on the recently discovered gold and silver mines in Mexico and Peru. Puerto Rico at this stage became some what of a frontier society at the margins of the Spanish colonial empire. (Figueroa Sept.98) W hile other Caribbean countries had experimented and had began to develop their mass sugar cultivation, Puerto Rico, for the most part, remained a racially mixed peasant society. (Scarano, 5) The influence of their neighboring islands was not far off, and the introduction of African slaves along with the development of the sugar industry literally changed the face of the Puerto Rican society. During the 1700’s Puerto Rico, influenced by its Caribbean neighbors joined in the sugar plantation industry. Although the island followed the Caribbean model of the sugar plantation economy quite late in this period, it became a top producer byShow MoreRelated Puerto Ricos Identity Formation Under U.S. Colonial Rule Essay example1952 Words   |  8 PagesPuerto Ricos Identity Formation Under U.S. Colonial Rule Upon continuing the discussion of what it means to be Puerto Rican, it is clear that the early US colonial rule fundamentally shaped the character of this definition. At the conclusion of the Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico became a possession of the United States subject only to the privileges that the US was willing to grant it. 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