On 25 July 1898, the United States extended the Spanish-American War to Puerto Rico, in its effort to oust Spain from the Caribbean. Defeated, Spain sued for peace in August and the U.S. installed a military regime. The return to colonial rule, especially under the military, was a great disappointment to the islanders, who only months before had secured autonomy from Spain. The arduous struggle for self-rule dated back to 1809, when the island was first allowed to send representatives to the Spanish parliament.
What became of Puerto Rico with the arrival of the Americans is the topic Pedro A. Cabán explores in his study of the first three decades of U.S. colonization. The outcome is a clearly-written, well-documented history of a period filled with frustrations and contradictions for all concerned. Broad in scope and rich in detail, Cabán’s book is difficult to summarize in a short review. It can...
