Puerto Rico had been under Spanish control for hundreds of years before the Spanish-American War brought it into the control of the United States. The island transformed from an agricultural colony to a densely populated American commonwealth. In "Puerto Rico in American History", Richard Worth examines the island s history, from the early clash between Spanish colonists and the Taino people to the uncertain future of this growing nation, with some residents who want to remain an American commonwealth, those who want statehood, and those who want independence.