Why Are Some Territories Not States In The US?

Why Are Some Territories Not States In The US?

The five current U.S. territories - Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands - and examine why each remains a territory rather than a state.
Puerto Rico, with a population larger than over 20 states, has held several referendums on statehood but Congress has not acted on these votes. Reasons discussed include concerns that Puerto Rican statehood could shift the balance of power in Congress. The video also notes Puerto Rico's cultural and linguistic differences from the mainland as a potential factor.
For the Pacific island territories, the video analyzes their more remote locations and smaller populations as making statehood less practical or urgent from Congress' perspective. It also touches on debates around self-determination for indigenous peoples in American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.
A recurring theme is the lack of voting representation in Congress for territorial residents, who are U.S. citizens but cannot vote for the President or have a direct vote in the House or Senate. The video argues this taxation without representation has gone on for too long.
Throughout, the historical context of how the U.S. acquired these territories through war and treaty is provided to better understand their current status. In conclusion, the video calls for Congress to take action to resolve the issue of disenfranchisement in the territories and consider new options like statehood, free association, or independence.