
The U.S. Bought 3 Virgin Islands from Denmark. The Deal Took 50 Years - vinnyglennon
https://www.history.com/news/us-virgin-islands-denmark-purchase
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tareqak
This link at the bottom of the article about Puerto Rico is also an
interesting read: [https://www.history.com/news/puerto-ricos-complicated-
histor...](https://www.history.com/news/puerto-ricos-complicated-history-with-
the-united-states) .

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lidHanteyk
We owe voting rights and statehood to the island nations we colonized during
the past century.

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TMWNN
No more than we did to any other English-speaking US territory in the 19th or
20th century that didn't have enough people for statehood. (And before you
bring up Puerto Rico, a) it's not English-speaking and b) no, it's not true
that its people have ever voted for statehood, whether in 2017 or any other
year.) If Guam or USVI ever gets to a population closer to that of one of the
smaller US states, and its people vote to apply for statehood, we'll talk
then. Same goes for Greenland should the US buy it, hordes of Americans
migrate to it, and it develops a substantial English-speaking population.

~~~
gambiting
Why would English speaking have anything to do with applying for statehood?

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TMWNN
Because English is vital to being part of a unified American culture.

If the US annexed Canada, I would also not want Quebec as a state for the same
reason. Either make it a territory or give it independence.

~~~
eesmith
I consider the current native speakers of New Mexican Spanish, whose family
settled in New Mexico in the 1600s, to be equally a part of the "unified
American culture" as you are.

The same for the Amish who speak Pennsylvanian German, the Gullah speaking
people, the Cajun speakers, and the many indigenous people of North America
who speak Navajo, or Hawaiian, or language at home.

~~~
RockIslandLine
+1

