"Colony,"--or "Free State"? "Dependence,"--or "Just Connection"? "Empire,"--or "Union"?

The essay analyzes the proper political relationship between the American Union and its annexed insular regions, using the political philosophy of the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence as a framework. It distinguishes connection, union, empire, and dependence by the nature and limits of legislative, judicial, and executive authority, arguing that just connections constrain central legislative power to common purposes and preserve equality among associated polities. The work critiques vague or discretionary territorial governance, surveys competing terminology and partisan claims, and urges clearer constitutional categories to guide administration and self-government.