1493 Christopher Columbus arrived at Puerto Rico.

1508 The first European settlement on Puerto Rico was founded by Ponce de León at Caparra.

1515 Sugarcane was first planted on Puerto Rico.

1595 Sir Francis Drake attacked Puerto Rico.

1598 The English captured San Juan and held it for five months.

1625 The Dutch burned San Juan.

1797 The English attacked San Juan.

December 10, 1898 Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the United States.

1900 The first U.S. civil governor was appointed.

1917 Puerto Ricans became citizens of the United States.

1946 Jesús Toribio Piñero was appointed as the first island-born Governor of Puerto Rico.

1949 Luis Muñoz Marín was inaugurated as the first elected Governor of Puerto Rico.

July 25, 1952 Puerto Rico became a Commonwealth of the United States.

1967 Puerto Ricans voted to remain a commonwealth.

See Also

Christopher Columbus
Ponce de León
Sir Francis Drake

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This page was last updated on 10/18/2018.