How Puerto Ricans Migrated New York Research Paper

How Puerto Ricans Migrated New York - Research Paper Example For this particular paper, I will be concentrating on the history of one of the largest immigrant cultures ever to come aboard the American shores. This paper will shed light upon how the Puerto Ricans migrated to New York City. The paper itself will divide the migration history of Puerto Ricans into the United States into 2 parts. The first part will cover the 20th century migration era and the latter part, the 21st century migration experience of Puerto Ricans to New York. However, in order to understand the reasons for the migration, we must first understand how Puerto Rico happened to become a part of unofficial U.S. territory in the first place. The relationship of the United States and Puerto Rico is one that is hard to define, little understood, and even more little known than to a select circle of historians who have documented the strange, symbiotic relationship of America and Puerto Rico. Though not listed as a part of the American territories, Puerto Rico still enjoys a sp ecial type of status privilege with America. As a protectorate state, the Puerto Ricans are neither truly Americans nor truly Puerto Rican. Rather, the people of Puerto Rico are known as â€Å"non citizen nationals†. Enjoying a unique kind of migrant status in the country in the process. Before the Spanish-American war came to an end, Puerto Rico was a part of Spanish occupied territory. One year before the war officially came to an end, Spain thought it in the best interest of Puerto Rico to grant it independence. However, before the finalities to independence could be applied, Spain had lost the war and in the process of surrender, had given Puerto Rico to the United States as part of an armistice between Spain and the United States. Puerto Rico officially became part of the United States roster of countries under its protectorate on October 18, 18981 Having enjoyed a protectorate relationship with the United States for more than a century, Puerto Ricans are technically â⠂¬Å"American citizens† with an independently functioning homeland ever since 1917. Falling under such a description, Puerto Rican nationals who go to the United States automatically carry United States citizenship the minute they step onto the U.S. mainland. As such, Puerto Ricans are not technically perceived to be immigrants to the United States but rather a migrant population 2 Due to the occupation of Spain and eventual turn over to the United States, Puerto Rico was never able to create a stable economy for itself. The country was mired in a high rate of poverty and economic depression. Puerto Ricans who understood the technicalities of their country's relationship with the United States chose to migrate rather than face the continuous hardships that beset their country. This time of migration came to be known as the Great Migration from Puerto Rico and resulted in a great number of Puerto Ricans entering the United States through Ellis Island in New York. Throughout time , there would be a steady influx of migrants from Puerto Rico into the United States using New York as their port of entry. The existence of good work opportunities in New York at the time of their arrival signaled that these migrants would be calling New York City their home for the time being. 3 The passing of the Johnson Act in 1921 was meant to help ease the burden of lack of job opportunities for Puerto Ricans in the United States due to competition from European immigrants. The passage of the act ensured a stream of available jobs for Puerto Ricans