History of Puerto Rico in Timeline

Puerto Rico is a self-governing Caribbean archipelago and island, functioning as an unincorporated territory of the United States. Situated approximately 1,000 miles southeast of Miami, Florida, it lies between the Dominican Republic and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The archipelago comprises the main island and smaller islands like Vieques, Culebra, and Mona. Home to around 3.2 million residents, it's divided into 78 municipalities, with San Juan as the capital and most populous. Spanish and English are the official languages, with Spanish being the dominant language.

1900: Establishment of civil government by the Foraker Act

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

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 then in effect in California.

March 1903: University of Puerto Rico founded

On March 12, 1903, the University of Puerto Rico was officially founded, branching out from the "Escuela Normal Industrial" that was founded three years earlier.

1906: U.S. Constitution Applies to Puerto Rico

In 1906, the U.S. Supreme Court case Ortega v. Lara ruled that the U.S. Constitution applied within Puerto Rico's territory and that domestic laws not conflicting with it remained in force.

1907: Antonio Paoli records Pagliacci

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

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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.

1917: Puerto Ricans made U.S. citizens by Jones Act

In 1917, the Jones Act granted U.S. citizenship to Puerto Ricans.

1917: Puerto Ricans included in U.S. compulsory draft

Since 1917, Puerto Ricans have been included in the U.S. compulsory draft when it has been in effect.

1918: San Fermín Earthquake

In 1918, the San Fermín earthquake occurred on October 11, with a magnitude of 7.5. It was accompanied by a tsunami, causing extensive property damage, widespread losses, and approximately 116 deaths.

1920: Ponce Creole architecture

By 1920, the Ponce Creole architectural style, developed in Ponce, Puerto Rico, between 1895 and 1920, was being utilized.

1920: Merchant Marine Act (Jones Act)

One of the most cited contributors to the high cost of living in Puerto Rico is the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, also known as the Jones Act, which prevents foreign-flagged ships from carrying cargo between two American ports, a practice known as cabotage.

September 1928: Lake Okeechobee Hurricane

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

1930: Baloncesto Superior Nacional Established

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

1931: Name changed back to Puerto Rico

In 1931, the name of the island was officially changed back to Puerto Rico by a joint resolution in Congress, introduced by Félix Córdova Dávila, after having been changed to Porto Rico by the United States after the Treaty of Paris of 1898.

1937: Puerto Rico Commemorated on U.S. Postal Stamp

In 1937, Puerto Rico was honored on a U.S. postal stamp featuring 'La Fortaleza', the Spanish Governor's Palace.

1948: First Olympic medal for Puerto Rico

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

April 1949: First free election for governor of Puerto Rico

On April 27, 1949, the first free election for governor of the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico was commemorated with a 3-cent stamp, referring to the election of Luis Muñoz Marín.

1950: Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act

In 1950, the U.S. Congress oversaw Puerto Rico under the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act. Puerto Rico sends a nonvoting representative to the U.S. Congress, called a Resident Commissioner, and participates in presidential primaries.

1951: Puerto Rico wins Baseball World Cup

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

1951: Annexation of Río Piedras

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

July 25, 1952: Adoption of Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico

On July 25, 1952, the official Spanish name Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico (Free Associated State of Puerto Rico) was adopted by a constitutional assembly. The name was suggested by Luis Muñoz Marín.

1952: Approval of Territorial Constitution

In 1952, Congress approved a territorial constitution for Puerto Rico, enabling residents to elect a governor, a senate, and a house of representatives.

1952: Three Main Political Parties

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), each advocating for a different political status for the island.

1957: Puerto Rico joins the International Basketball Federation

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

September 1971: 450th anniversary of San Juan

On September 12, 1971, San Juan, Puerto Rico, was commemorated with an 8-cent stamp on its 450th anniversary, featuring a sentry box from Castillo San Felipe del Morro.

1971: Founding of Florida municipality

In 1971, the municipality of Florida was founded; it is the most recent municipality to be established in Puerto Rico.

1973: Roberto Clemente Enshrined

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

1973: Bonds to Balance Budget

Puerto Rico has been issuing bonds to balance its actual budget for four decades beginning in 1973.

1979: Puerto Rico hosted the Pan Am Games

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

1984: Volume of cargo traffic in San Juan port inspections

Between 1984–2000 the San Juan PPQ station recorded 7.74% of all interceptions, #4 in the country, #2 for insects and #3 for pathogens. Most species are originally from South America or elsewhere in the Caribbean due to PR's position as an intermediary on the way to the mainland.

1985: Pathogen interceptions compared to 1999-2000

Pathogen interceptions were dramatically (17%) higher 1999–2000 than in 1985–1986 at the San Juan PPQ station.

1986: Pathogen interceptions compared to 1999-2000

Pathogen interceptions were dramatically (17%) higher 1999–2000 than in 1985–1986 at the San Juan PPQ station.

1991: Autonomous Municipalities Act

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

1992: Administrative Relationship Established

In 1992, President George H. W. Bush issued a memorandum directing federal departments and agencies to treat Puerto Rico administratively as a state, provided it doesn't disrupt federal programs or operations.

1992: FBI Made Armed Carjacking a Federal Crime

In 1992, the FBI made armed carjacking a federal crime and rates decreased per statistics.

1993: Central American and Caribbean Games hosted in Ponce

In 1993, The Central American and Caribbean Games were hosted in Ponce.

1993: U.S. Atlantic Command (LANTCOM)

In 1993, U.S. Atlantic Command (LANTCOM after 1993 USACOM) had authority over all U.S. military operations that took place throughout the Atlantic.

1994: Puerto Rico Wins Goodwill Games

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

1998: Endemic species count

As of 1998, the archipelago has 239 plants, 16 birds and 39 amphibians/reptiles that are endemic to the area.

1999: Orlando Cepeda Enshrined

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

1999: U.S. Joint Forces Command

In 1999, the U.S. Atlantic Command was renamed and given a new mission as U.S. Joint Forces Command. Puerto Rico is currently under the responsibility of U.S. Northern Command.

1999: Pathogen interceptions were dramatically (17%) higher 1999–2000 than in 1985–1986.

Pathogen interceptions were dramatically (17%) higher 1999–2000 than in 1985–1986 at the San Juan PPQ station.

2000: Education levels in Puerto Rico

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

2000: San Juan PPQ station recorded 7.74% of all interceptions

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

2000: Start of Structural Deficit Practice

The practice of approving budgets with a structural deficit has been done for 25 consecutive years starting in 2000.

2002: Literacy rate in Puerto Rico

As of 2002, the literacy rate of the Puerto Rican population was 94.1%, with 93.9% for males and 94.4% for females.

2003: Montreal Expos in San Juan

In 2003, San Juan hosted the Montreal Expos for several series before they moved to Washington, D.C.

August 2004: Puerto Rico defeats the United States

On August 8, 2004, the Puerto Rico national basketball team defeated the United States in an Olympic tournament, with a score of 92–73, during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

2004: Montreal Expos in San Juan

In 2004, San Juan hosted the Montreal Expos for several series before they moved to Washington, D.C. and became the Washington Nationals.

March 2006: World Baseball Classic in San Juan

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

2006: Start of Recession

In 2006, Puerto Rico entered a recession that lasted until 2011.

2007: Emergence of new parties

After 2007, the Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party was registered, aiming to address the island's issues from a status-neutral stance.

2008: Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party fails to obtain votes

In 2008, the Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party ceased to be a registered party when it failed to obtain the required number of votes in the general election.

2008: Puerto Rico Soccer League established

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

2009: Puerto Rico Paid into U.S. Treasury

In 2009, Puerto Rico contributed $3.742 billion to the U.S. Treasury. While residents pay into Social Security and are eligible for benefits, they are excluded from Supplemental Security Income, and the island receives less Medicaid funding than a U.S. state. Medicare providers also receive reduced reimbursements.

2009: UN Decolonization Committee Resolution

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 1539 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.

2010: Life expectancy in Puerto Rico

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

2011: End of Recession

In 2011, Puerto Rico experienced the end of a recession, which started in 2006, interrupted by four quarters of economic growth.

2011: Roberto Alomar Enshrined

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

2011: Median Home Value

In 2011, median home value in Puerto Rico ranged from U.S.$100,000 to U.S.$214,000, while the national median home value was $119,600.

2011: Puerto Rico Flag on Forever Stamp

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

November 2012: Puerto Rico Status Referendum

In November 2012, a two-question referendum was held in Puerto Rico, with 54% voting against the current territorial status and 61.16% voting in favor of statehood.

2012: Emergence of additional parties

The 2012 election saw the emergence of the Movimiento Unión Soberanista (Sovereign Union Movement) and the Partido del Pueblo Trabajador (Working People's Party), but none obtained more than 1% of the vote.

2013: Puerto Rico entered into recession again

In 2013, Puerto Rico entered into recession again, following growing fiscal imbalance and the expiration of the IRS Section 936 corporate incentives that the U.S. Internal Revenue Code had applied to Puerto Rico.

2014: Congressional Gold Medal Awarded to 65th Infantry Regiment

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

2014: High Homicide Rate

In 2014, the homicide rate in Puerto Rico was 19.2 per 100,000 inhabitants, significantly higher than any U.S. state. Most homicide victims are gang members and drug traffickers with about 80% of homicides in Puerto Rico being drug related.

2015: Household Median Income

In the U.S. Census Bureau's 2015 update, the household median income is stated as $19,350 and the mean income as $30,463. The report also indicates that 45.5% of individuals are below the poverty level.

2015: Commonwealth Defaulting on Debts

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

2016: Jenniffer González-Colón Elected

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

2016: 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: PROMESA Law Establishes Control Board

In 2016, President Barack Obama signed into law H.R. 5278: PROMESA, establishing a Control Board over the Puerto Rican government with significant federal control.

2016: U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Double Jeopardy

In 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a parallel accusation for a criminal act at the federal level and in a Commonwealth court in Puerto Rico would constitute double jeopardy.

July 1, 2017: Risk to Health Care System

With debt payments due, the governor was facing the risk of a government shutdown and failure to fund the managed health care system. A letter sent to Congress stated that "Without action before July 1, 2017 Puerto Rico's ability to execute contracts for Fiscal Year 2018 with its managed care organizations will be threatened, thereby putting at risk the health care of up to 900,000 impoverished U.S. citizens living in Puerto Rico."

July 2017: PREPA Power Authority Bankruptcy

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

August 2017: Financial Oversight Board Plan

In early August 2017, the island's financial oversight board (created by PROMESA) planned to institute two days off without pay per month for government employees, down from the original plan of four days per month.

September 7, 2017: Hurricane Irma

On September 7, 2017, Puerto Rico was hit by Category 5 Hurricane Irma, causing significant damage.

September 20, 2017: Hurricane Maria

On September 20, 2017, Puerto Rico was struck by Category 4 Hurricane Maria, causing catastrophic damage including widespread power outages and damage to infrastructure.

2017: Hurricane Maria Caused Severe Damage

In 2017, Hurricane Maria caused severe damage to the island and its infrastructure, disrupting tourism for many months. The damage was estimated at $100 billion.

2017: Hurricanes Irma and Maria

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

2017: Referendum in favor of statehood.

In 2017, there was another referendum in Puerto Rico, in favor of statehood although it was boycotted by some political opponents of it. (see 2017 Puerto Rican status referendum)

2017: Number of hospitals in Puerto Rico

In 2017, there were 69 hospitals in Puerto Rico.

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. The debt had been increasing during a decade-long recession.

2018: Tourism campaign launched by Discover Puerto Rico

In 2018, a tourism campaign was launched by Discover Puerto Rico intended to highlight the island's culture and history, branding it distinct, and different from other Caribbean destinations.

2018: Health Care System Risk

With debt payments due, the governor was facing the risk of a government shutdown and failure to fund the managed health care system. A letter sent to Congress stated that "Without action before April, Puerto Rico's ability to execute contracts for Fiscal Year 2018 with its managed care organizations will 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."

April 2019: Tourism Report

An April 2019 report indicated that by that time, only a few hotels were still closed, that life for tourists in and around the capital had, for the most part, returned to normal after Hurricane Maria.

October 2019: Tourism Rebounding

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. This was important for the economy, since tourism provides up to 10% of Puerto Rico's GDP, according to Discover Puerto Rico.

2019: Discover Puerto Rico Planned to Continue Campaign

In 2019, Discover Puerto Rico planned to continue a tourism campaign that was launched in 2018 intended to highlight the island's culture and history, branding it distinct, and different from other Caribbean destinations.

January 2020: Largest Earthquake Since 1918

In January 2020, Puerto Rico experienced its largest earthquake since 1918, estimated at magnitude 6.4, resulting in economic losses of more than $3.1 billion.

November 2020: Statehood Referendum

In November 2020, Puerto Rico held a statehood referendum during the general elections, with 52% of voters answering yes to becoming a state.

2020: Gross National Income Per Capita

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

2021: Average life expectancy in Puerto Rico

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

2022: Puerto Rico Status Act Passes House

In 2022, the Puerto Rico Status Act (H.R. 8393) passed the House, though it did not pass the Senate. This bill would support Puerto Rico in making a binding referendum on its status.

November 5, 2024: Jennifer Gonzalez Elected Governor

On November 5, 2024, Jennifer Gonzalez, who is pro-statehood, won the office of Governor of Puerto Rico in the 2024 general election with nearly 40% of the vote.