JCH Vol. 58 No. 2 Art. 3

This article explores the United States’ evolving interest in Puerto Rico, beginning with early nineteenth-century commercial pursuits, and which intensified after the 1895 Cuban War for Independence. The Puerto Rican exile community in the United States was divided between two factions: one advocating for independence from Spain and the other supporting annexation by the United States. These factions clashed, particularly with the formation of the Puerto Rican Section of the Cuban Revolutionary Party. After the United States entry into the war, the annexationist faction, led by José Julio Henna and Roberto H. Todd, engaged with key leaders in Washington, ensuring Puerto Rico’s annexation. On 25 July 1898, the US Army landed in Puerto Rico, ending 400 years of Spanish rule. The article critically examines the successes and failures of the Puerto Rican Section in achieving its goal of independence, highlighting the McKinley Administration’s lack of cooperation and the internal conflicts within the Section. These factors contributed to the ultimate failure to secure Puerto Rico’s independence.