Former Soldiers Study Cake Decorating at a Vocational School in Puerto Rico, April 1951

When these Puerto Rican soldiers left the U.S. military, they were encouraged to enter technical schools to learn new skills. In this photograph in 1951, a group of men gather around a pastry chef to learn how to decorate a cake.

(Photograph by Justin Locke, National Geographic)

For centuries, Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony. However, after the Spanish-American War in 1898, Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain to the United States and became a U.S. territory. In March 1917, all Puerto Ricans were granted U.S. citizenship. Despite this, Puerto Ricans were not given the right to vote in U.S. elections.

Since Puerto Rico became a U.S. territory, Puerto Ricans have served in the U.S. Army.

During World War I, about 20,000 Puerto Ricans served. In World War II, approximately 60,000 Puerto Ricans fought in Asia and Europe. During the Korean War, about 61,000 Puerto Ricans served in the U.S. Army.