The Introduction of American Law in the Philippines and Puerto Rico,.

Thompson, Winfred Lee. The Introduction of American Law in the Philippines and Puerto Rico, 1898-1905. Fayetteville, [AR]: University of Arkansas Press, 1989. 258 pp. Orange cloth fine in lightly worn dust jacket. Internally clean. A near fine copy. $35. * This work examines the immediate aftermath of the Spanish-American War, detailing how the United States established legal and constitutional control over the Philippines and Puerto Rico. Thompson analyzes the difficult transition from Spanish civil law to American common law traditions, exploring the heated domestic debates over America's role as a colonial power. Key themes include the legal justifications for American sovereignty, the role of racial attitudes in crafting colonial policy, and the landmark Insular Cases, which famously determined that residents of these new territories were not entitled to full constitutional rights. This is essential reading for students and scholars of U.S. legal history, imperial history, and foreign policy.…