History of Puerto Rico in Timeline

Puerto Rico is a self-governing Caribbean archipelago and an unincorporated territory of the United States organized as a commonwealth. Situated between the Dominican Republic and the U.S. Virgin Islands, approximately 1,000 miles southeast of Miami, Florida. It encompasses the main island and smaller islands like Vieques, Culebra, and Mona. Its population is around 3.2 million, distributed across 78 municipalities, with San Juan being the most populous. Both Spanish and English are official languages, with Spanish being the predominant language.

1900: Foraker Act established 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: U.S. government assumes control of Puerto Rico

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

1902: English-Only Language Law

In 1902, an English-only language law was enacted, but Spanish remains the only official language of the commonwealth judiciary system.

1906: U.S. Constitution applies within territory

In 1906, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Ortega v. Lara that the U.S. Constitution applied within Puerto Rico's territory.

1907: Antonio Paoli records Pagliacci

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

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1917: Puerto Ricans become U.S. citizens

In 1917, Puerto Ricans became U.S. citizens, allowing them to move freely between the archipelago and the U.S.

1917: U.S. citizens

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

1917: Jones-Shafroth Act grants citizenship

In 1917, the Jones–Shafroth Act made Puerto Ricans U.S. citizens.

1918: San Fermín earthquake

In 1918, the San Fermín earthquake, estimated at magnitude 7.5, struck off the northern coast of Puerto Rico, causing extensive damage, widespread losses, and an estimated 116 deaths, as well as a tsunami.

1920: Study on Jones Act

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

1920: Ponce Creole architectural style peaks

By 1920, the Ponce Creole architectural style, a blend of French, Spanish, and Caribbean influences designed to withstand the climate of southern Puerto Rico, was well-established in residential homes in Ponce.

1920: Merchant Marine Act

In 1920, the Merchant Marine Act was enacted, preventing foreign-flagged ships from carrying cargo between two American ports, which impacted Puerto Rico.

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

Since 1930, Baloncesto Superior Nacional acts as the top-level professional basketball league in Puerto Rico and has experienced success since its beginning.

1931: Name changed 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: U.S. postal stamp commemorates Insular Territories

In 1937, the United States issued a postal stamp commemorating Insular Territories, with the third stamp honoring Puerto Rico and featuring 'La Fortaleza', the Spanish Governor's Palace.

1940: Mita Congregation Founding

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

1943: Census Data Report

In 1943, Irene Barnes Taeuber, an American demographer at Princeton University, reported on the reliability of past Puerto Rican census data collected by Spain.

May 1, 1945: Law No. 40

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

1948: Juan Evangelista Venegas wins first Olympic medal

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

April 27, 1949: First free election for governor of Puerto Rico

On April 27, 1949, a 3-cent U.S. postal stamp was issued in San Juan to honor the first free election for governor of the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, referring to the election of Luis Muñoz Marín.

1950: 65th Infantry Regiment fought in Korean War

During the Korean War between 1950 and 1953, Puerto Ricans served in U.S. military operations; the 65th Infantry Regiment fought in the war.

1950: Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act

In 1950, The U.S. Congress oversaw Puerto Rico under the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act.

1951: Puerto Rico wins gold in Baseball World Cup

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

1951: Annexation of Río Piedras

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

July 25, 1952: Official name adopted

On July 25, 1952, the constitutional assembly adopted the official name in Spanish, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, suggested by Luis Muñoz Marín.

1952: Territorial constitution approved

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

1952: Constitution approved by Congress and Puerto Rican voters

In 1952, the Jones–Shafroth Act paved the way for the drafting of Puerto Rico's Constitution and its approval by Congress and Puerto Rican voters.

1952: Synagogue Establishment

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

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).

1953: 65th Infantry Regiment fought in Korean War

During the Korean War between 1950 and 1953, Puerto Ricans served in U.S. military operations; the 65th Infantry Regiment fought in the war.

1957: Puerto Rico joins International Basketball Federation

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

1960: Census Questionnaire Change

Starting in 1960, the census questionnaire did not include questions about race or ethnicity until 1990.

September 12, 1971: San Juan commemorated on U.S. postal stamp

On September 12, 1971, San Juan was commemorated with an 8-cent U.S. postal stamp on its 450th anniversary, 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: Issuing bonds to balance budget

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

1979: Puerto Rico hosts Pan Am Games

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

1984: PPQ inspections recorded high interceptions

Between 1984 and 2000, the San Juan PPQ station recorded 7.74% of all interceptions, ranking #4 in the country.

1984: Papal Visit

In 1984, Pope John Paul II visited Puerto Rico.

1985: PPQ Inspections

The PPQ inspections started recording a large number of interceptions.

1986: PPQ Inspections

The PPQ inspections continued recording a large number of interceptions.

1990: Census Questionnaire Change

Until 1990, the census questionnaire did not include questions about race or ethnicity since 1960.

1991: Autonomous Municipalities Act

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

1992: Memorandum issued

In 1992, President George H. W. Bush issued a memorandum to heads of executive departments and agencies establishing the current administrative relationship between the federal government and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

1992: FBI makes armed carjacking a federal crime

In 1992, the FBI made armed carjacking a federal crime, leading to decreased rates according to statistics.

1993: Ponce hosts Central American and Caribbean Games

In 1993, Ponce hosted the Central American and Caribbean Games.

1994: Puerto Rico wins gold in Goodwill Games

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

1997: Protestant Population Assessment

In 1997, another researcher estimated the Protestant population at 33-38%, with the majority being Pentecostal.

1998: Religious Demographics Estimate

In 1998, pollster Pablo Ramos estimated that the population was 38% Catholic, 28% Pentecostal, and 18% independent churches, with Protestants totaling 46% of the population.

1999: Pathogen interceptions increased

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

1999: Orlando Cepeda enshrined in Hall of Fame

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

2000: Education Attainment

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

2000: PPQ inspections recorded high interceptions

Between 1984 and 2000, the San Juan PPQ station recorded 7.74% of all interceptions, ranking #4 in the country.

2000: Racial Self-Identification

In 2000, the United States census included a question on racial self-identification, revealing that most Puerto Ricans identified as white and Latino.

2000: Peak Population

In 2000, the commonwealth's population peaked at 3,808,610 residents.

2000: Indigenous Identification Count

In the 2000 census, there was a lower count of respondents identifying as "American Indian or Alaskan Native" compared to 2010.

2000: Budgets with structural deficits

The practice of approving budgets with a structural deficit has been done for 26 consecutive years starting in 2000.

2002: Literacy Rate

As of 2002, the literacy rate in Puerto Rico was 94.1%.

2003: Montreal Expos host series in San Juan

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

2003: University of Puerto Rico Study

In 2003, a University of Puerto Rico study found that 61.1% of sampled individuals had mitochondrial DNA of Indigenous origin, 26.4% had African markers, and 12.5% showed European descent.

August 8, 2004: Puerto Rico defeats United States in Olympics

On August 8, 2004, the Puerto Rico national basketball team became the first team to defeat the United States in an Olympic tournament since the integration of NBA players, winning with a score of 92–73 at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

2004: Montreal Expos host series in San Juan

In 2004, San Juan hosted 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 and second rounds of the newly formed World Baseball Classic.

2006: Puerto Rico enters recession

Puerto Rico experienced a recession starting in 2006, which was interrupted by four quarters of economic growth.

2007: Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party

After 2007, other parties emerged on the island. The first, the Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party was registered that same year.

2007: Telecommunications Landscape

In 2007, Puerto Rico's telecommunications infrastructure included 30 TV stations, 125 radio stations, and approximately 1 million TV sets. Cable TV subscription services were available, and the U.S. Armed Forces Radio and Television Service broadcasted on the island.

2007: Muslim Population

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

2008: Flags of our nation series begins

In 2008, the "Flags of our nation series" began, which included five territorial flags.

2008: Puerto Rico Soccer League established

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

2008: General election

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

2009: Payments into the U.S. Treasury

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

2009: UN calls for self-determination process

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: School Statistics

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

2010: Racial Identification

In 2010, 3% of the population identified as multiracial.

2010: Mayagüez hosts Central American and Caribbean Games

In 2010, Mayagüez hosted the Central American and Caribbean Games.

2010: Orthodox Christian Population

In 2010, Orthodox Christians accounted for one percent of the population of Puerto Rico.

2010: Population Census

In 2010, Puerto Rico's population was recorded as 3,725,789, marking the first decline in census history.

2010: Life Expectancy

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

2010: Indigenous Identification Increase

In the 2010 census, 19,839 respondents identified as "American Indian or Alaskan Native", representing a 49% increase from the 2000 count.

2011: Roberto Alomar enshrined in Hall of Fame

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

2011: Puerto Rico Flag featured on Forever stamp

In 2011, a Forever stamp featuring the Puerto Rico Flag illustrated by a bird was issued as part of the "Flags of our nation series".

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, while the national median home value was $119,600.

2011: Puerto Rico exits initial recession

Puerto Rico experienced a recession from 2006 to 2011, interrupted by four quarters of economic growth.

2012: Population Decline

In 2012, Puerto Rico experienced a population decline of nearly 1% due to emigration and a falling birthrate.

2012: Adult Literacy Rate

In 2012, a Pew Research survey indicated an adult literacy rate of 90.4% in Puerto Rico, based on data from the United Nations.

2012: Referendum on status takes place

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

2012: Flags of our nation series ends

In 2012, the "Flags of our nation series" ended, which included five territorial flags.

2012: Election saw the emergence of Movimiento Unión Soberanista and Partido del Pueblo Trabajador

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: Continued 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 published

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

2013: Puerto Rico enters another recession

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

March 2014: Religious Affiliation Estimates

In March 2014, an Associated Press article stated that "more than 70 percent" of Puerto Ricans identified as Catholic.

2014: 65th Infantry Regiment awarded Congressional Gold Medal

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: Homicide rate significantly higher than any U.S. state

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

2015: Jehovah's Witnesses Population

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

2015: Official Languages Declaration

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

2015: Commonwealth defaulting on many debts

Since 2015, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico had been defaulting on many debts, including bonds.

2016: Jenniffer González-Colón elected as resident commissioner

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

2016: Monica Puig wins first Olympic gold medal

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 Act Established Financial Oversight Board

In 2016, the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) established a financial oversight board to manage debt restructuring in response to the Puerto Rican government-debt crisis.

2016: U.S. Supreme Court rules 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 them of the same act in a Commonwealth court would constitute double jeopardy, as Puerto Rico, as an unincorporated territory, lacks sovereignty separate from Congress as a state does.

May 2017: Board requests a federal judge to resolve bankruptcy case

In May 2017, with $123 billion in debt, the 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 of impoverished citizens

It was 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".

July 2017: PREPA power authority effectively bankrupt

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

August 2017: Financial oversight board plans austerity measures

In early August 2017, the island's financial oversight board planned to institute two days off without pay per month for government employees, and pension reforms were also discussed, including a proposal for a 10% reduction in benefits.

2017: Hurricane Maria causes severe damage

In 2017, Hurricane Maria caused severe damage to the island of Puerto Rico 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, causing widespread and devastating impacts, particularly to the electric grid.

2017: Puerto Rico suffered hurricanes

In 2017, Puerto Rico was impacted by Hurricane Irma (Category 5) and Hurricane Maria (Category 4), which caused extreme damage, including power outages, cell service disruptions, and damage to infrastructure and health facilities.

2017: Referendum indicates desire for statehood

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

2017: Establishment of Eastern Catholic Church

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

2017: Impact of Hurricanes and Economy

In 2017, the impacts of hurricanes Maria and Irma, combined with a worsening economy, led to the greatest population decline since the U.S. acquired Puerto Rico.

2017: Hospital Count

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.

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 Jones Act

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

2018: Tourism campaign launched

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

2018: Risk to healthcare of impoverished citizens

2018: PREPA government monopoly until 2018

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

April 2019: Tourism mostly returned to normal

An April 2019 report indicated that by that time, only a few hotels were still closed and 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 after Hurricane Maria.

2019: Carjacking problem continues

As of 2019, the problem of armed carjacking continued in municipalities like Guaynabo and others.

January 7, 2020: Largest earthquake since 1918

On January 7, 2020, Puerto Rico experienced its largest earthquake since 1918, estimated at magnitude 6.4, causing more than $3.1 billion in economic losses.

June 22, 2020: Contract signed with LUMA Energy

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.

November 3, 2020: Statehood referendum held

On November 3, 2020, Puerto Rico held a statehood referendum during the general elections, with 52 percent of voters answering yes to becoming a state.

2020: Population of San Juan

According to the 2020 Census, the most populous municipality is San Juan with 342,259 people.

2020: Puerto Ricans in the U.S.

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

2020: Gross national income per capita

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

2020: Ethnic Composition

As of 2020, 98.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino, with 95.5% being Puerto Rican. Only 17.1% identified as "White", a decline, while 49.8% reported being multiracial.

June 1, 2021: LUMA Energy takeover

The takeover by LUMA Energy as the operator of the energy distribution and transmission infrastructure was set for June 1, 2021, amidst protests and uncertainty.

2021: Life Expectancy

As of 2021, the average life expectancy in Puerto Rico is approximately 82.1 years.

2022: Projected Evangelical Growth

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

2022: Puerto Rico Status Act passed in the House

In 2022, in the United States, H.R. 8393 the Puerto Rico Status Act passed in the House—though it did not pass the Senate.

2023: Temple Dedication

In 2023, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dedicated a temple in San Juan.

November 5, 2024: Puerto Ricans voted for statehood

On November 5, 2024, in the elections, Puerto Ricans again voted for statehood. Jenniffer González-Colón, who is pro-statehood, won the office of governor with nearly 40% of the vote.

November 2024: Last election held

The governor and legislators are elected by popular vote every four years, with the last election held in November 2024.

2024: Household median income reported

In 2024, the household median income was $27,213, compared to US median household income of $81,604. 37.3% of the population is below the national poverty line.