I need to know what the difference is between a commonwealth (Puerto Rico) and a territory (Guam) of the United States. If anyone could help, that would be great!
A commonwealth has more autonomy than most other territories. Check this site for details.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico
Get a life ms sue
Certainly! I can help explain the difference between a commonwealth, like Puerto Rico, and a territory, like Guam, of the United States.
1. Puerto Rico as a Commonwealth:
- Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States and is designated as a commonwealth. This status was granted through the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act of 1950.
- As a commonwealth, Puerto Rico has a closer relationship with the United States compared to other territories, such as Guam.
- Puerto Rico has its own local government, constitution, and legal system. It has the power to elect its own Governor and Legislature to make decisions on internal matters, such as education, healthcare, and local policies.
- However, Puerto Rico is subject to U.S. federal laws, and its residents are U.S. citizens. They have limited representation in U.S. federal institutions, like Congress, where they have a non-voting Resident Commissioner.
- Puerto Rico is exempt from some federal taxes but still pays others, and its residents are eligible for some federally-funded programs, such as Social Security and Medicare.
2. Guam as a Territory:
- Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States, governed by the Guam Organic Act of 1950.
- Unlike Puerto Rico, Guam is not designated as a commonwealth. It is considered simply a territory of the United States.
- Guam has a similar status to Puerto Rico in having its own local government, constitution, and legal system. It also elects its own Governor and Legislature.
- However, Guam does not have the same level of self-governance and autonomy as Puerto Rico. It has a less political representation at the federal level and less control over certain internal matters.
- Similar to Puerto Rico, Guam is subject to U.S. federal laws, and its residents are U.S. citizens. They also pay some federal taxes and are eligible for certain federally-funded programs.
To summarize, the main difference lies in the fact that Puerto Rico is designated as a commonwealth, granting it a higher level of self-governance and autonomy compared to Guam, which is classified as a territory. However, both Puerto Rico and Guam are unincorporated territories of the United States and have their own local governments, constitutions, and legal systems, while being subject to federal laws and having U.S. citizens as residents.