Puerto Rico Essay example - 492 Words

Puerto Rico The Caribbean before the landing of Columbus served almost as a bridge between the north coast of South America and Florida for the Amazonian tribes in the south and the north american inhabitants. When Christopher Columbus on his second trip in 1493 landed in Puerto Rico and claimed it for Spain, he found the island populated by as many as 60,000 Arawak or Taino indians, which for the most part, were friendly compared to the Carib indians in some of the more southerly islands which were warlike and to some degree cannibalistic. The conquest of the island didnt take long, and the peaceful Tainos were put to the task as slaves for†¦show more content†¦In 1508 the first governor arrived, Juan Ponce de Leà ³n (who is more famous as the searcher for the fountain of youth and discoveror of the state of Florida). The island remained Spanish despite harassment and numerous conquest attempts by buccaneers and pirates and English and Dutch expeditions. To defend the island against these threats, two forts, El Morro and San Cristà ³bal,were built to guard the approaches to San Juan harbor. Defense of these forts foiled attempts by Sir Francis Drake in 1595, by another English fleet in 1598, and by the Dutch in 1625 to capture Puerto Rico for their respective empires. The defeat of the British in 1797 finally thwarted that countrys designs on the island, and the Spanish colony was kept intact. During the 16th to the 19th century Puerto Rico was characterized primarily by underpopulation, poverty and neglect by Spain. It was mainly a garrison for the ships that would pass on their way to or from the other and richer colonies. During this time as much as 10 or 11 years would pass between the arrival of ships from Spain and as trade with other countries was prohibited, the islandShow MoreRelatedThe And Puerto Rico1864 Words   |  8 PagesPuerto Rico is an archipelago that is currently a territory of the United States of America with its official name being, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; however, it is often referred to by Puerto Ricans as Borinquen, a term derived from the name given to the island by its original Taà ­no natives, Borikà ©n. The Taà ­no natives were the last group of people to live on the island unphased by the outside world and are also the most well known pre-columbian settlement of Borinquen due to the greater numberRead MorePuerto Rico Ess ay2075 Words   |  9 PagesPuerto Rico is an island located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea, which is an unincorporated territory of the United States. The islands of Puerto Rico were acquired by the United States in 1898, where Spain ceded the islands to the U.S. In 1917, the Jones Act declared Puerto Rico to be an â€Å"organized but incorporated† territory of the United States, and granted US citizenship to all the residents who wanted it. An â€Å"unincorporated territory†, according to the US Supreme Court Insular Cases, ofRead MoreThe Independence Of Puerto Rico1407 Words   |  6 PagesPresident Truman was an indication that Puerto Ricans would use any necessary means to gain independence. Puerto Rico has been a territory of the United States for almost a century. The citizens of Puerto Rico have always had different views on whether they want independence or greater autonomy. The following essay will focus on the commonwealth status of Puerto Rico and the attempted assassination of President Truman. The commonwealth status of Puerto Rico between the 1950-1952 was with limitedRead MorePuerto Rico Statehood2998 Words   |  12 PagesPuerto Rico Statehood Composition 2 (11 am) Decmeber-02-2010 Formal Outline Topic: Puerto Rico Statehood Purpose: To encourage the US and Puerto Rican government to for more interest for Puerto Rico statehood. Thesis: As an American I feel our government needs to make more progress, and give more encouragement to Puerto Rico to become a state though education, and social learning. Introduction: Body: I Economics: A: Underemployment B: Taxes Incentives C: Effects on the economy II Political:Read MoreThe Americanization of Puerto Rico1056 Words   |  5 Pageson invading Puerto Rico and driving out Spains rulers, Puerto Ricans welcomed the North Americans to their home. (To view an in-progress work dealing with the Spanish-American War from a pro-colonial expansion point of view, visit this site/ For an objective historical account view this site). The Puerto Ricans were tired of not having a voice in politics and government and with the knowledge that America was a democracy, there was hope that this status quo would change. Although Puerto Ricans feltRead MoreThe Issue Of Puerto Rico1542 Words   |  7 PagesPuerto Rico is a territory of the United States since 1898 and in order to change that status citizens of the territory must vote in a plebiscite, a special referendum. The three options available to choose from were to become a state, to remain a territory, or to become an independent nation (Martin). In the November 6, 2012 plebiscite held in Puert o Rico, 54% of the population said that do not like the current commonwealth status of the island (Alexandrino). The next question offered to the populationRead MorePuerto Rico And Its Effects Essay1153 Words   |  5 PagesPuerto Rico is spanish for rich port. It’s history, landscapes, food, and climate make it a world class destination for tourist. Puerto Rico is a caribbean island with landscapes of mountains, waterfalls and the El Yunque tropical rainforest. It is one of the most densely populated islands in the world. Puerto Rico is 3,515 square miles which is three time the size of Rhode Island. The population of the island is 3,474,182 making it one of the most densely populated islands in the world. With aRead MoreThe World Of Puerto Rico Essay1082 Words   |  5 Pages Boriqua! is a commonly used term among the people of Puerto Rico when referring to themselves or their country. Puerto Rico, formerly known as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a U.S. Territory. It is a small island, only 100 miles long and 35 miles wide, located in the Caribbean Ocean. It is about 1,000 miles off the tip of Florida in between the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands. The climate is tropical and mild with little variation in the seasonal temperature. The country is composedRead MoreThe Country Of Puerto Rico2392 Words   |  10 Pages Larry W Dumas Jr Dr. Wilbert Karigomba World Geography 24 June 2015 Puerto Rico Puerto Rico is an island that is impacted by not having enough land for cultivation. The Three thousand four hundred and ninety-two square miles of this island is about seventy-five percent hills or mountains (Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States b). With the large amount of land consisting of hill or mountains, Puerto Rico has limited amounts of natural resources. While under Spanish colonial rule, the island was largelyRead MoreThe Politics Of Puerto Rico Essay1993 Words   |  8 PagesThe politics of Puerto Rico takes place in the framework of a republican democratic form of government that is under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United States as an organized unincorporated territory. As a republican form of government, the government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is divided into three branches: executive, legislative and judicial, as established by the Constitution of Puerto Rico. The executive power is exercised by the executive branch, which is headed by the Governor