On March 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Jones-Shafroth Act, granting Puerto Rico status a United State territory and granting all of its residents U.S. citizenship. The Bill furthermore constructed a government and bill of rights for the island and allowed its residents to serve in the U.S. military.



In 1952, the rights of Puerto Rico and its residents were further extended when the island promulgated its own constitution.