Final answer:
After the Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States. Puerto Ricans were granted U.S. citizenship in 1917 and now have internal self-government under a constitution enacted in 1952, yet they still do not have all rights of U.S. state citizens.
Step-by-step explanation:
Aftermath of the Spanish-American War on Puerto Rico
Following the Spanish-American War, the island of Puerto Rico, along with other former Spanish colonies, was ceded to the United States as spelled out in the Treaty of Paris in December 1898. After centuries under Spanish rule, Puerto Ricans received U.S. citizenship in 1917. A significant victory for the U.S. Navy in the war sealed Spain's fate as a colonial power and marked the beginning of Puerto Rico's transition. While some independence movements existed, Puerto Rico ultimately became an unincorporated U.S. territory.
It established a civilian government under the Foraker Act of 1900, which set up the structure of the Puerto Rican government and court system, and in 1952, a constitution was enacted allowing for internal self-government. However, Puerto Ricans remain U.S. citizens without the full rights granted to those in incorporated territories, and the island has remained a U.S. territory with a complex status, still debated to this day.