Lo que pasó a Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico and the War of 1898 in the American History Survey

Volume 50 Issue 1

Author(s):

Mark P. Dries - Southeastern Louisiana University

Recommended Citation:

Dries, Mark P. (2026) “Lo que pasó a Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico and the War of 1898 in the American History Survey,” Bulletin for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies: Vol. 50 : Iss. 1 , Roundtable 3.

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Abstract:

This essay, the product of a panel Sponsored by the Association for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies at the American Historical Association annual meeting in 2025, provides instructors with a concise yet effective way to introduce a Puerto Rican perspective to the discussion of the War of 1898, often referred to as the Spanish-American War. Survey texts often struggle to incorporate Puerto Rican perspectives in the conversation of a conflict dominated by the role of Theodore Roosevelt and the impact of US intervention on Cuba. This paper presents a short but effective means of integrating a general idea of the Puerto Rican experience, one that sets the stage for a nuanced consideration of the island’s complicated relationship with the United States to the present day.

Tags: survey courses, teaching, War of 1898