Insular Government of Porto Rico

Insular Government
of Porto Rico
Gobierno Insular
de Puerto Rico
 (Spanish)
1900–1952
Flag
(from 1912)
Coat of arms
(1902–1905)
Anthems: "Hail, Columbia" (until 1931)

"The Star-Spangled Banner"(from 1931)
StatusUnincorporated and organized United States territory
Capital
and largest city
San Juan
Official languages
GovernmentDevolved presidential dependency
President 
 1900–1901
William McKinley (first)
 1945–1952
Harry S. Truman (last)
Governor of Puerto Rico 
 1900–1901
Charles Herbert Allen (first)
 1949–1952
Luis Muñoz Marín (last)
LegislatureLegislative Assembly
Senate
House of Representatives
History 
April 12, 1900
March 2, 1917
July 3, 1950
June 4, 1951
March 3, 1952
July 25, 1952
ISO 3166 codePR
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Military Government of Porto Rico
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

The Insular Government of Porto Rico (Spanish: Gobierno Insular de Puerto Rico), known as the Insular Government of Puerto Rico after May 17, 1932, was an unincorporated and organized territory of the United States that was established when the Foraker Act became effective on April 12, 1900. The Insular Government was preceded by the Military Government of Porto Rico and was followed by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

The term "insular" refers to the fact that the government operated under the authority of the Bureau of Insular Affairs. The Philippines also had an insular government at this time. From 1901 to 1922, the U.S. Supreme Court wrestled with the constitutional status of these governments in the Insular Cases.

The Foraker Act was superseded on March 2, 1917, by the Jones–Shafroth Act, which granted U.S. citizenship to anyone born in Puerto Rico on or after April 11, 1899. On July 25, 1952, Puerto Rico became a commonwealth after the ratification of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.