| Year |
Month/Day |
Event |
| 1898 |
April
22 |
State
of war declared between Spain and the United States. |
| |
July
25 |
United
States Army invades Puerto Rico arriving in the south coast
town of Guanica under the leadership of General Nelson Miles |
| |
August
12 |
Peace
protocol or truce is signed to end the Spanish American War |
| |
October
18 |
Spanish
sovereignty end in the island of Puerto Rico |
| |
December
10 |
The
Treaty of Paris, or "Treaty of Peace between United
States and Spain" is signed in Paris, France. This treaty
officially concluded the Spanish American War. |
| 1899 |
|
The
first and only elections are held under military rule to elect
municipal Officers. |
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contents. |
| 1900 |
April
12 |
President
William McKinley approves the Foraker Law, establishing a
civil government and free trade between Puerto Rico and the
United States. |
| |
May
1 |
Charles
Allen was the first civil governor to be inaugurated in San
Juan on May 1, 1900. President McKinley named five Puerto
Ricans to the Cabinet; Jose DeDiego, Manual Camuñas, Jose
Celso Barbosa, Rosendo Matienzo Cintron, and Andres Costas.
Among the six members from the United States was Dr. M.G.
Brumbaugh as Secretary of Education. |
| 1901 |
March
4 |
The
Hollander Law was approved giving Puerto Rico a Resident
Commissioner in Washington. Federico Degetau was named to the
position. |
| 1902 |
|
United
States declares Puerto Rico a territory |
| 1906 |
November
6 |
President
Theodore Roosevelt becomes the first U.S. President to make an
official visit outside the U.S when he visited Panama and
Puerto Rico. While in Puerto Rico he addressed the Congress of
Puerto Rico and recommended that Puerto Rican become U.S.
citizens. |
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contents. |
| 1914 |
|
Martin
Travieso and Manuel Domenech are the first Puerto Rican to be
named as officers of the Executive Cabinet. |
| 1917 |
March
2 |
Under the Presidency of Woodrow Wilson the Jones Act was
approved. This Act gave Puerto Rican United States citizenship
( Some 300 persons rejected the American Citizenship- probably
to maintain their Spanish citizenship) and a bill of rights.
It also created the island Senate and the House of
Representatives.
The Foraker Act still continued to determine economic and
fiscal aspects of the government. |
| |
|
20,000
islanders are drafted into the Armed Forces to fight in World
War I. |
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contents. |
| 1922 |
|
The
case of Balzac vs Porto Rico (258 U.S. 308) was resolved by
the U.S. Supreme Court in which it declared Puerto Rico was a
territory rather than part of the Union |
| 1928 |
|
Charles
Lindbergh visits the island in "The Spirit of St.
Louis" |
| 1929 |
January
9 |
Pan
American inaugurates service between San Juan and Miami. Air
Mail postal service is inaugurated. |
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here to return to the year table of
contents. |
| 1932 |
May
17 |
The
Congress of the United States approves a law to change back
the name of the island to "Puerto Rico" . The name
had been used erroneously as "Porto Rico" by U. S.
Navy personnel. |
| 1933 |
|
A
program of economic assistance known as PRERA begins to be
implemented |
| 1934 |
|
Franklin
D. Roosevelt pays a visit to the island. |
| 1935 |
|
President
Franklin D. Roosevelt inaugurates the Puerto Rican
Reconstruction Administration. This office provided guidance
and funds for agricultural development, public works and for
bringing electricity to most of the island |
| 1938 |
|
Under
the leadership of Luis Muñoz Marin the Popular Democratic
Party is founded. |
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contents. |
| 1941 |
|
The United States starts construction of military bases in
the islands of Vieques and Culebra.
Rexford Tugwell was named governor of the island. He was
governor from 1941 to 1946. |
| 1942 |
|
The
Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company was established. |
| 1943 |
April
2 |
U.S.
Senator Tydings introduces a bill in Congress for independence
for Puerto Rico. |
| 1945 |
|
Seeking
better job and economic opportunities islanders begin
migrating to the United States, mainly the large urban areas
in New York, New Jersey and Chicago. |
| 1946 |
July
21 |
President Harry Truman designates Jesus Piñeiro the first
Puerto Rican to be governor of the island.
Pan American Airways starts direct non-stop flights to New
York City. |
| 1948 |
August
4 |
United States Congress approves a law that allows the
people of Puerto Rico to elect their own governor.
Luis Muñoz Marin becomes the first governor to be elected
by the Puerto Rican electorate.
The Statehood Republican Party was founded |
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contents. |
| 1950 |
|
The
first Social Security cards were issued. |
| 1951 |
|
Law
600 was approved. This law gives Puerto Rico the right to
establish a government and a constitution for the internal
administration of the island affairs. |
| 1952 |
March
3 |
The
flag of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico was adopted based on a
1895 design. |
| |
July
25 |
The
new Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico goes into
effect |
| 1959 |
|
The
San Juan Star was inaugurated. |
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here to return to the year table of
contents. |
| 1961 |
|
President
John F., Kennedy visits the island. |
| 1966 |
|
Plaza
Las Americas, the largest shopping center in central and South
America is inaugurated. |
| 1967 |
July
23 |
The first plebiscite on the political status of the island
was held. Voters overwhelmingly affirm the continuation of the
Commonwealth status by the following vote percentages:
| Commonwealth |
60% |
| Statehood |
39% |
| Independence |
1% |
Our point of view on the above numbers is that 99% of
voters affirmed their desire to continue with our American
citizenship and continue the Puerto Rico-USA relationship as
outlined in our Commonwealth Constitution and/or would be
statehood. |
| 1968 |
|
New
Progressive Party is formed. Don Luis A. Ferre is elected
governor. This is the first time the statehood New Progressive
Party wins an election. |
| 1969 |
|
"El
Nuevo Dia" newspaper is founded |
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here to return to the year table of
contents. |
| 1970 |
|
United
States Army takes almost complete possession of Culebra
Island. |
| 1976 |
|
Carlos Romero Barcelo is elected governor.
Section 936 of the Federal Internal Revenue Tax Code was
implemented. This new code gave American companies a tax
"break" allowing banks to experience an
unprecedented growth. |
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here to return to the year table of
contents. |
| 1980 |
April
30 |
Luis Muñoz Marin, founder of the Popular Democratic Party,
and first elected governor of Puerto Rico dies.
Carlos Romero Barcelo is again elected governor. |
| 1988 |
|
Rafael
Hernandez Colon was elected as governor. |
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here to return to the year table of
contents. |
| 1991 |
|
In
one of the biggest blows to the Puerto Rico-USA relationship
the government of Puerto Rico, under the leadership of Rafael
Hernandez Colon eliminated English as one of the official
languages of Puerto Rico leaving Spanish as the only official
language. Governor Hernandez Colon receives an award from the
government of Spain for declaring Spanish the only official
language of the island. The Puerto Rico government sells 80%
of the long distance telephone service to Telefonica
Internacional de España for 140 million dollars. |
| 1992 |
|
Pedro Rosello is elected governor with the New Progressive
(Statehood) Party.
San Juan becomes the site for weeks long celebration of the
500 year anniversary of Christopher Columbus discovery of the
New World. |
| 1993 |
|
The
first piece of legislation under the governorship of Dr. Pedro
Rosello was Law #1 which again declares both English and
Spanish official languages of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico was the
first domain under the United States to declare English an
official language- even before this was done by any of the
states. |
| |
November
14 |
A referendum was held for a political status preference.
The Commonwealth formula was the winner, but this time by a
narrower margin as follows:
| Commonwealth |
48.6% |
| Statehood |
46.3% |
| Independence |
4.4% |
|
| 1996 |
November
4 |
Dr.
Pedro Rosello is again elected governor by the largest margin
of any statehood governor in Puerto Rico history. |
| 1998 |
March
8 |
For
the first time in Puerto Rican and United States history, a
bill is approved by the U.S. House of Representatives which
provides for the people of Puerto Rico to hold a referendum to
express the ultimate desire for the islands final status. |
| |
July
25 |
Governor
Pedro Rosello announced the status referendum enabling law
which would allow the celebration of the plebiscite even if
the final law was not approved by this Congress. |
