History of Puerto Rico in Timeline

Puerto Rico is a self-governing Caribbean archipelago and an unincorporated territory of the United States, designated as a commonwealth. Situated between the Dominican Republic and the U.S. Virgin Islands, it consists of the main island and smaller islands like Vieques, Culebra, and Mona. The population is around 3.2 million, distributed across 78 municipalities, with San Juan as the capital. Both Spanish and English are official languages, though Spanish is more prevalent. Its location is approximately 1,000 miles southeast of Miami, Florida.

1900: Establishment of Civil Government

In 1900, the Foraker Act established a civil government in Puerto Rico, ending rule by American generals and the Department of War.

1901: Legal reforms initiated by the U.S. government

In 1901, after the U.S. government assumed control of Puerto Rico, it initiated legal reforms, adopting codes of criminal law, criminal procedure, and civil procedure modeled after those in effect in California.

1902: 1902 English-only Language Law

Despite a 1902 English-only language law, Spanish has been the only official language of the entire commonwealth judiciary system.

1906: U.S. Constitution Applied within Territory

In 1906, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Ortega v. Lara affirmed that the U.S. Constitution applied within Puerto Rico.

1907: Antonio Paoli records opera

In 1907, Antonio Paoli became the first operatic artist in world history to record an entire opera by participating in a performance of Pagliacci by Ruggiero Leoncavallo in Milan, Italy.

Loading Video...

1917: Puerto Ricans Made U.S. Citizens

In 1917, Puerto Ricans were collectively made U.S. citizens as a result of the Jones–Shafroth Act.

1918: San Fermín Earthquake

In 1918, the San Fermín earthquake, with an estimated magnitude of 7.5, struck Puerto Rico, causing extensive property damage, widespread losses, and an estimated 116 deaths.

1920: Study on the impact of the Jones Act

A 2018 study by economists concluded that the 1920 Jones Act has no impact on either retail prices or the cost of living on Puerto Rico.

1920: Culmination of Ponce Creole architectural style development

By 1920, the Ponce Creole architectural style, unique to Ponce, Puerto Rico, had fully developed. This style, blending French, Spanish, and Caribbean influences, was prominent in residential homes built between 1895 and 1920.

1920: Merchant Marine Act

In 1920, the Merchant Marine Act, also known as the Jones Act, prevents foreign-flagged ships from carrying cargo between two American ports.

September 1928: Lake Okeechobee Hurricane

In September 1928, the Lake Okeechobee Hurricane (San Felipe Segundo hurricane) made landfall in Puerto Rico as a Category 5 hurricane.

1930: Baloncesto Superior Nacional established

In 1930, Baloncesto Superior Nacional was established as the top-level professional basketball league in Puerto Rico.

1931: Name Change Back to Puerto Rico

In 1931, the name of Porto Rico was changed back to Puerto Rico through a joint resolution in Congress introduced by Félix Córdova Dávila.

1937: Insular Territories commemorated on U.S. stamp

In 1937, U.S. postal stamps commemorated Insular Territories, with the third stamp honoring Puerto Rico and featuring 'La Fortaleza'.

1940: 1940 Mita Congregation Founding

In 1940, Juanita García Peraza founded the Mita Congregation, the first religion of Puerto Rican origin.

1943: 1943 Population Report

In 1943, Irene Barnes Taeuber reported that some of the data remained untabulated and were considered reliable.

May 1, 1945: Law No. 40 of May 1, 1945

The Puerto Rico Aqueducts and Sewers Authority (PRASA) was designated by Law No. 40 of May 1, 1945, including the corresponding amendments.

1948: First Olympic medal won by Juan Evangelista Venegas

In 1948, Juan Evangelista Venegas won the first Olympic medal for Puerto Rico, a bronze in boxing.

1948: Ley de la Mordaza (Law 53)

In 1948, the Ley de la Mordaza (Law 53) curtailed a range of political expression associated with the independence movement.

April 27, 1949: First free election for governor commemorated on U.S. stamp

On April 27, 1949, the first free election for governor of Puerto Rico was commemorated on a 3-cent U.S. postal stamp featuring Luis Muñoz Marín's election.

1950: Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act

In 1950, the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act was enacted, placing Puerto Rico under the oversight of the U.S. Congress.

1950: Nationalist Uprisings

In 1950, there were nationalist uprisings intending to draw attention to independence demands.

1951: Puerto Rico wins gold at Baseball World Cup

In 1951, the Puerto Rico national baseball team won gold at the World Cup of Baseball.

1951: Río Piedras annexed to San Juan

In 1951, the former independent municipality of Río Piedras was annexed to San Juan.

July 25, 1952: Adoption of the official Spanish name

On July 25, 1952, the official Spanish name, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, was adopted by a constitutional assembly.

1952: Approval of Territorial Constitution

In 1952, Congress approved a territorial constitution for Puerto Rico, which allowed residents to elect a governor, as well as a Senate and House of Representatives.

1952: Constitution Approval

In 1952, Puerto Rico's Constitution took effect after congressional review, which required amendments as a condition of approval.

1952: 1952 First Synagogue Established

In 1952, the first synagogue, Sha'are Zedeck, was established by American Jews.

1952: Political Parties since 1952

Since 1952, Puerto Rico has had three main political parties: the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), the New Progressive Party (PNP) and the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP).

1953: The Borinqueneers in the Korean War

From 1950-1953, the 65th Infantry Regiment (the "Borinqueneers") fought in the Korean War.

1954: Attack in the U.S. House of Representatives

In 1954, there was an attack in the U.S. House of Representatives by nationalists seeking to draw attention to independence demands.

1957: Puerto Rico joins International Basketball Federation

In 1957, the Puerto Rico national basketball team joined the International Basketball Federation.

1960: 1960 Census Questionnaire

Between 1960 and 1990, the census questionnaire did not ask about race or ethnicity.

September 12, 1971: San Juan's 450th anniversary commemorated on U.S. stamp

On September 12, 1971, San Juan's 450th anniversary was commemorated with an 8-cent U.S. postal stamp, featuring a sentry box from Castillo San Felipe del Morro.

1973: Roberto Clemente enshrined in Hall of Fame

In 1973, Roberto Clemente was enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

1973: Bond issuance to balance budget

The government had been issuing bonds to balance its actual budget for four decades beginning in 1973.

1979: Pan American Games hosted in San Juan

In 1979, Puerto Rico hosted the Pan American Games, officially in San Juan.

1984: High volume of cargo traffic at San Juan PPQ station

Between 1984 and 2000 the San Juan PPQ station recorded 7.74% of all interceptions.

1984: Pope John Paul II Visits Puerto Rico

Pope John Paul II visited Puerto Rico in 1984.

1985: Comparison of pathogen interceptions

From 1999 to 2000, pathogen interceptions were dramatically (17%) higher than in 1985 to 1986.

1986: Comparison of pathogen interceptions

From 1999 to 2000, pathogen interceptions were dramatically (17%) higher than in 1985 to 1986.

1990: 1990 Census Questionnaire

Between 1960 and 1990, the census questionnaire did not ask about race or ethnicity.

1991: Autonomous Municipalities Act

In 1991, the Autonomous Municipalities Act mandated that each municipality has a mayor and a municipal legislature elected for four-year terms.

1992: Administrative relationship between the federal government and Puerto Rico established

In 1992, President George H. W. Bush issued a memorandum directing federal departments and agencies to treat Puerto Rico administratively as if it were a state, to the extent that it doesn't disrupt federal programs.

1992: FBI makes armed carjacking a federal crime

In 1992, the FBI made armed carjacking a federal crime.

1993: Central American and Caribbean Games hosted in Ponce

In 1993, the Central American and Caribbean Games were hosted in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

1994: Gold medal at Goodwill Games

In 1994, the Puerto Rico national basketball team won gold at the Goodwill Games.

1997: 1997 Protestant Population Assessment

In 1997, another researcher gave a more conservative assessment of the proportion of Protestants, finding a Protestant population of 33–38%, the majority of whom are Pentecostal.

1998: 1998 Religious Demographics

In 1998, a pollster stated that the population was 38% Catholic, 28% Pentecostal, and 18% independent churches.

1999: Pathogen interceptions increase

From 1999 to 2000, pathogen interceptions were dramatically (17%) higher than in 1985 to 1986.

1999: Orlando Cepeda enshrined in Hall of Fame

In 1999, Orlando Cepeda was enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

2000: Education levels according to Census 2000

According to the 2000 Census, 60.0% of the population in Puerto Rico attained a high school degree or higher, and 18.3% had a bachelor's degree or higher.

2000: High volume of cargo traffic at San Juan PPQ station

Between 1984 and 2000 the San Juan PPQ station recorded 7.74% of all interceptions, #4 in the country, #2 for insects and #3 for pathogens.

2000: Population Peak in 2000

In 2000, Puerto Rico's population peaked at 3,808,610.

2000: 2000 Indigenous Identification Count

In the 2000 census, there was a count of people identifying as "American Indian or Alaskan Native."

2000: 2000 United States Census

The 2000 United States census included a racial self-identification question, according to which most Puerto Ricans identified as white and Latino.

2000: Structural deficit and bond issuance

The practice of approving budgets with a structural deficit has been done for 26 consecutive years starting in 2000, contemplating issuing bonds to cover projected deficits.

2002: Literacy rate of 94.1%

In 2002, the literacy rate in Puerto Rico reached 94.1%.

2003: 2003 University of Puerto Rico Study

A 2003 study by the University of Puerto Rico found that 61.1 percent of those surveyed had mitochondrial DNA of Indigenous origin.

2003: Montreal Expos series in San Juan

In 2003, San Juan hosted the Montreal Expos for several series.

August 8, 2004: Puerto Rico defeats United States in Olympic basketball

On August 8, 2004, the Puerto Rico national basketball team defeated the United States 92–73 in an Olympic tournament for the first time since the integration of National Basketball Association players during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

2004: Montreal Expos series in San Juan

In 2004, San Juan continued to host the Montreal Expos for several series before the team moved to Washington, D.C.

March 2006: San Juan hosts World Baseball Classic

In March 2006, San Juan's Hiram Bithorn Stadium hosted the opening round and the second round of the newly formed World Baseball Classic.

2006: Recession in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico experienced a recession from 2006 to 2011.

2007: Telecommunications Statistics in 2007

As of 2007, Puerto Rico had 30 TV stations, 125 radio stations, and roughly 1 million TV sets.

2007: Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party Registered

In 2007, the Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party was registered seeking to address the islands' problems from a status-neutral platform.

2007: 2007 Muslim Population

In 2007, there were about 5,000 Muslims, representing about 0.13% of the population.

2008: Puerto Rico Soccer League established

In 2008, the first unified league, the Puerto Rico Soccer League, was established.

2008: Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party Failure

In the 2008 general election the Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party failed to obtain the required number of votes.

2009: Puerto Rico Pays into U.S. Treasury

In 2009, Puerto Rico paid $3.742 billion into the U.S. Treasury.

2009: United Nations Resolution on Decolonization

In 2009, the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization approved a draft resolution calling on the U.S. government to expedite a process for Puerto Rican self-determination and independence.

2010: Number of schools in Puerto Rico

As of 2010, there were 1,539 public schools and 806 private schools in Puerto Rico.

2010: Central American and Caribbean Games hosted in Mayagüez

In 2010, the Central American and Caribbean Games were hosted in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.

2010: Life expectancy of 78.7 years

In 2010, the average life expectancy in Puerto Rico was 78.7 years.

2010: 2010 United States Census

In 2010, the population of Puerto Rico was 3,725,789, a decrease since 2000.

2010: 2010 Racial Identification Changes

In 2010, there was a significant increase in the number of Puerto Ricans identifying as multiracial compared to 2020.

2010: 2010 Census Indigenous Identification

In the 2010 census, 19,839 respondents identified as "American Indian or Alaskan Native", an increase of almost 49 percent from the 2000 count.

2010: 2010 Orthodox Christian Population

Orthodox Christians accounted for one percent of the population in 2010.

2011: Roberto Alomar enshrined in Hall of Fame

In 2011, Roberto Alomar was enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

2011: Median home value in Puerto Rico

In 2011, median home value in Puerto Rico ranged from U.S.$100,000 to U.S.$214,000.

2011: Puerto Rico Flag featured on Forever stamp

In 2011, the "Flags of our nation series" featured the Puerto Rico Flag illustrated by a bird on a Forever stamp.

2011: End of Recession in Puerto Rico

The recession that began in 2006 ended in 2011, after four quarters of economic growth.

2012: 2012 Adult Literacy Rate

A Pew Research survey indicated an adult literacy rate of 90.4% in 2012 based on data from the United Nations.

2012: 2012 Population Decline

In 2012, Puerto Rico's population declined by nearly 1%.

2012: Two-Question Referendum

In 2012, a two-question referendum took place, where 54% voted against maintaining the current status and 61.16% voted for statehood.

2012: Emergence of Movimiento Unión Soberanista and Partido del Pueblo Trabajador

In the 2012 election the Movimiento Unión Soberanista (Sovereign Union Movement) and the Partido del Pueblo Trabajador (Working People's Party) emerged.

2013: Puerto Rico Enters Recession Again

In 2013, Puerto Rico entered into recession again, following growing fiscal imbalance and the expiration of the IRS Section 936 corporate incentives.

2013: 2013 Population Decline

In 2013, Puerto Rico's population declined by an additional 1% (36,000 people) due to a falling birthrate and emigration.

2013: Government Accountability Office report on cabotage law

In 2013, the Government Accountability Office published a report which concluded that repealing or amending the cabotage law might cut Puerto Rico shipping costs.

March 2014: March 2014 Catholic Identification

An Associated Press article in March 2014 stated that "more than 70 percent" of Puerto Ricans identified as Catholic.

2014: Congressional Gold Medal awarded to the 65th Infantry Regiment

In 2014, the 65th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army, also known as The Borinqueneers, was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for its heroism during the Korean War.

2014: High homicide rate in Puerto Rico

In 2014, the homicide rate of 19.2 per 100,000 inhabitants was significantly higher than any U.S. state, with most victims being gang members and drug traffickers.

2015: 2015 Jehovah's Witnesses Population

In 2015, the 25,832 Jehovah's Witnesses represented about 0.70% of the population, with 324 congregations.

2015: 2015 Language Declaration

In 2015, the legislature declared Spanish to be the first official language and English the second official language.

2015: Puerto Rico defaults on debts

The Commonwealth had been defaulting on many debts, including bonds, since 2015.

2016: Jenniffer González-Colón elected as resident commissioner

In 2016, Jenniffer González-Colón was elected as the resident commissioner of Puerto Rico and received more votes than any other official elected in Puerto Rico that year.

2016: Monica Puig wins first Olympic gold medal for Puerto Rico

In 2016, Monica Puig won the first gold medal for Puerto Rico in the Olympic Games by winning the Women's Tennis singles title in Rio.

2016: Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act

In 2016, the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act was established to oversee debt restructuring.

2016: U.S. Supreme Court ruling on double jeopardy

In 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court held that accusing someone of a criminal act at the federal level and then accusing the same person for the same act in a Commonwealth court would constitute double jeopardy.

May 2017: Request for Federal Judge Appointment

In May 2017, the financial oversight board requested the appointment of a federal judge to resolve the "largest bankruptcy case in the history of the American public bond market."

July 1, 2017: Risk to healthcare for impoverished citizens

According to a letter sent to Congress, without action before April, Puerto Rico's ability to execute contracts for Fiscal Year 2018 with its managed care organizations would be threatened, thereby putting at risk beginning July 1, 2017 the health care of up to 900,000 impoverished U.S. citizens living in Puerto Rico.

July 2017: PREPA power authority near bankrupt

In early July 2017, the PREPA power authority was effectively bankrupt after defaulting in a plan to restructure $9 billion in bond debt and planned to seek Court protection.

August 2017: Financial oversight board plan

In early August 2017, the island's financial oversight board planned to institute two days off without pay per month for government employees. Pension reforms were also discussed.

2017: Hurricane Maria causes severe damage

In 2017, Hurricane Maria caused severe damage to Puerto Rico, disrupting tourism for many months, with the damage estimated at $100 billion.

2017: Number of Hospitals

In 2017, Puerto Rico had 69 hospitals.

2017: Hurricanes Irma and Maria

In 2017, Puerto Rico was affected by Category 5 Hurricane Irma and Category 4 Hurricane Maria, causing widespread and devastating impacts, particularly to the electric grid.

2017: Status Referendum

In 2017, a status referendum indicated a desire for statehood, though voter turnout was low.

2017: 2017 First Eastern Catholic Church Established

In 2017, the first Eastern Catholic Church was established in Puerto Rico.

2017: Impact of Hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017

In 2017, the impacts of hurricanes Maria and Irma, combined with the unincorporated territory's worsening economy, led to its greatest population decline since the U.S. acquired the archipelago.

2017: Puerto Rican government-debt crisis

In early 2017, the Puerto Rican government-debt crisis posed serious problems for the government, which was saddled with outstanding bond debt that had climbed to $70 billion.

July 20, 2018: Puerto Rico Law 120-2018 Signed

On July 20, 2018, Puerto Rico Law 120-2018 was signed, authorizing PREPA to sell infrastructure and services to other providers.

2018: Study on the impact of the Jones Act

A 2018 study by economists concluded that the 1920 Jones Act has no impact on either retail prices or the cost of living on Puerto Rico.

2018: Risk to healthcare for impoverished citizens

2018: Tourism campaign launched by Discover Puerto Rico

In 2018, Discover Puerto Rico launched a tourism campaign to highlight the culture and history of the island, differentiating it from other Caribbean destinations.

2018: Government Monopoly Until 2018

Until 2018, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) was the only entity authorized to conduct electricity generation, power transmission, and power distribution business in Puerto Rico, effectively making it a government monopoly.

April 2019: Tourism recovering after Hurricane Maria

An April 2019 report indicated that most hotels were reopened and life for tourists in and around the capital had, for the most part, returned to normal after the damage caused by Hurricane Maria.

October 2019: Tourism rebounds in Puerto Rico

By October 2019, nearly all of the popular amenities for tourists, in the major destinations such as San Juan, Ponce and Arecibo, were in operation on the island and tourism was rebounding.

2019: Carjacking Problem Continues

As of 2019, armed carjacking continued to be a problem in municipalities such as Guaynabo.

January 7, 2020: Largest Earthquake Since 1918

On January 7, 2020, Puerto Rico experienced its largest earthquake since 1918, estimated at magnitude 6.4.

June 22, 2020: LUMA Energy Contract Signed

On June 22, 2020, a contract was signed making LUMA Energy the operator of the energy distribution and transmission infrastructure, as well as other areas of PREPA's operations, in effect partially privatizing the Puerto Rican power grid.

November 3, 2020: Statehood Referendum

During the November 3, 2020, general elections, Puerto Rico held a statehood referendum where 52 percent of voters answered yes.

2020: Puerto Rico's Gross National Income per capita

According to World Bank, the gross national income per capita in Puerto Rico in 2020 was $21,740.

2020: 2020 U.S. Census and Puerto Rican Emigration

According to the 2020 U.S. census, the number of Puerto Ricans living outside of Puerto Rico in the U.S. is almost twice as many as those living in Puerto Rico.

2020: 2020 United States Census

According to the 2020 United States census, Puerto Rico had 3,285,874 residents, an 11.8% decrease since 2010.

2020: 2020 Population Demographics

As of 2020, Hispanics or Latinos made up 98.9 percent of the population, and 1.1 percent of the population was non-Hispanic.

2020: 2020 Census: Most Populous Municipality

Based on the 2020 Census, San Juan is the most populous municipality with 342,259 people.

June 1, 2021: LUMA Energy Takeover

The LUMA Energy takeover of PREPA's operations was set for June 1, 2021, amidst protests and uncertainty.

2021: Average life expectancy of 82.1 years

As of 2021, the average life expectancy in Puerto Rico was approximately 82.1 years, according to the CIA World Factbook.

2022: Estimated Evangelical Population by 2022

A report estimated that Puerto Rico would become 75% evangelical by 2022.

2022: Puerto Rico Status Act

In 2022, in the United States, the Puerto Rico Status Act was being worked on by Congress, and H.R. 8393 passed the House.

2023: 2023 Temple Dedication

In 2023, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dedicated a temple in San Juan, and reported having a membership of approximately 23,000 in the commonwealth.