President McKinley signed the Foraker Act, establishing civilian government in P

Featured Event 1900 Event

Foraker Act Signed: Puerto Rico Gets Civil Government

President McKinley signed the Foraker Act, establishing civilian government in Puerto Rico and granting the island limited self-rule two years after the Spanish-American War. The legislation created a colonial framework with an appointed governor and limited local representation that would define the island's contested political status for over a century.

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April 12, 1900

126 years ago

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