ABSTRACT
With the signing of the peace protocol, the War Department was given responsibility for governing Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the other territorial acquisitions. The most immediate task the War Department faced after establishing order was collecting and disbursing customs revenues to sustain the operations of the newly installed military government. On July 1, 1902, the Division of Insular Affairs was reorganized as the Bureau of Insular Affairs (BIA), and its duties expanded. The BIA's duties embraced "all matters pertaining to civil government in the island possessions of the United States subject to the jurisdiction of the War Department". The United States took an inventory of Puerto Rico's natural resources and assessed its potential for economic growth. The Insular Commission and the Carroll Commission were two of the more prominent fact-finding bodies sent to Puerto Rico. Congress and the executive branch learned much during this brief period of military rule.
