When people hear that Puerto Rico once had autonomy under Spain, many react with disbelief. Others vaguely remember dates like 1812 or 1897, but rarely understand what those moments actually meant.

Some compare Puerto Rico to the Canary Islands and assume that autonomy there must have existed earlier or in the same way.

But the historical reality is far more revealing — and far more uncomfortable for modern narratives.

Puerto Rico did not experiment with autonomy. Puerto Rico had constitutional autonomy.

To understand this clearly, we need to separate three concepts that are often confused: representation, citizenship, and autonomy.