History & Culture ~ Puerto Rico means "rich port" in Spanish ~
In the 15th Century, the island's first known inhabitants were a peaceful people known as Taíno Indians who came from South America. They lived in small villages, organized in clans, and led by a Cacique, or chief. Rather than farming, the Taino lived on such domesticated tropical crops as pineapples, cassava, and sweet potatoes supplemented by seafood.
The Tainos' peaceful existence came to an end with Christopher Columbus' second journey to the Americas. Unlike his first exploratory journey for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, Columbus' second journey in 1493 was primarily about establishing Spanish colonies. Columbus discovered the island on this journey. Thus was the beginning of Spain's 400 year rule and influence on Puerto Rico. During the first half of the 16th century, although remnants of the Taino culture remain today, the population was diminished and diluted by the Spanish Conquest and the subsequent consequences of war, slavery, disease, intermarriage, and migration to other territories. During this time, Puerto Rico's population grew and culture drew from two major sources: immigration from Spain and the influx of African slaves.
Between the 16th and 18th centuries, the island's population was primarily rural and agricultural and was concentrated along the east and west coasts. During this time the urban areas were also established—San Juan in the northeast, and San German in the southwest. Although Spain was able to maintain control of the island, it was not without bloodshed and great destruction. The French, British, and Dutch made attempts to seize control of the area from Spain in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, with varying degrees of success. Spain, determined to defend its possession, began the fortification of the inlet of San Juan in the early 16th century at which time, Puerto Rico was reorganized in 1580 into a captaincy general to provide for more autonomy and quick administrative responses to military threats.
Drawn to the successfully developing economy derived from the island's sugar and coffee plantations, after 1815, an increasing influx of immigrants from Corsica and other parts of Europe, South America, and the Caribbean arrived, along with even more Spaniards. All were granted free land according to the Royal Decree of Grace as long as they swore loyalty to the Spanish Crown and allegiance to the Roman Catholic Church. During this period of rapid expansion, African slaves were brought to the island in increasing numbers as well.
The last half of the 19th century was marked by the Puerto Rican struggle for sovereignty. Finally, after four centuries of colonial rule, the Prime Minister of Spain granted the island an autonomous government on November 25, 1897. Just one year later, the Spanish American War broke out and the American strategy to seize Spanish colonies resulted in Puerto Rico coming under military control of the United States. This brought about significant changes for Puerto Rico, including the use of American currency and the U.S. postal system, as well as freedom of assembly, religion, speech and press, and the establishment of a highway system, public school system, and public health service. The existing government lottery was abolished, and cockfighting was forbidden.
After the initial military government in Puerto Rico was disbanded in 1900, the United States' relationship to Puerto Rico underwent several transformations. These included the Foraker Act, which established a civil government and free commerce between the island and the United States, and The Jones Act of 1916, which made Puerto Rico a United States Territory that is "organized but unincorporated." Though Puerto Rico has maintained both Spanish and English as its "official" languages, the acts imposed the English language on Puerto Rico in various ways. This occurred during the first half of the twentieth century in terms of making English the primary language in education, with Spanish a specialized subject, and English the official language of the Puerto Rican Judicial System. However, Mariano Villaronga, Commissioner of Education under then governor Luis Muñoz Marín, was able to initiate educational reform and reinstate Spanish as the official language of education for the 1949-50 academic year. As for the judicial system, although English was the implicit official language, Spanish has maintained its position as the primary language of the island.
As the coffee industry began to falter in the period around 1900-1930, the cities began to absorb a large wave of rural immigrants. Beginning in the 1940s, this trend became more rapid, bringing drastic, and lasting changes. Agriculture was declining and manufacturing was growing, forcing massive numbers of island residents to relocate to San Juan and other urban centers on the island. This large internal migration in turn fed a mass exodus to the United States, particularly to New York City.
During the second half of the 20th century, the Puerto Rican culture continued to be influenced by immigration as well as return migration. Newcomers, mostly from Cuba and the Dominican Republic, increased steadily in the 1960s. Interestingly, in the 1970s, Puerto Rico experienced return migration, bringing a second generation of Puerto Ricans back to the island that had been born and raised in the United States.
Puerto Rico has transformed from a predominantly rural and agricultural society to primarily an urban, industrialized country with a thriving service sector, and significant migration flows both to and from the island.
Sources:
The Tainos' peaceful existence came to an end with Christopher Columbus' second journey to the Americas. Unlike his first exploratory journey for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, Columbus' second journey in 1493 was primarily about establishing Spanish colonies. Columbus discovered the island on this journey. Thus was the beginning of Spain's 400 year rule and influence on Puerto Rico. During the first half of the 16th century, although remnants of the Taino culture remain today, the population was diminished and diluted by the Spanish Conquest and the subsequent consequences of war, slavery, disease, intermarriage, and migration to other territories. During this time, Puerto Rico's population grew and culture drew from two major sources: immigration from Spain and the influx of African slaves.
Between the 16th and 18th centuries, the island's population was primarily rural and agricultural and was concentrated along the east and west coasts. During this time the urban areas were also established—San Juan in the northeast, and San German in the southwest. Although Spain was able to maintain control of the island, it was not without bloodshed and great destruction. The French, British, and Dutch made attempts to seize control of the area from Spain in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, with varying degrees of success. Spain, determined to defend its possession, began the fortification of the inlet of San Juan in the early 16th century at which time, Puerto Rico was reorganized in 1580 into a captaincy general to provide for more autonomy and quick administrative responses to military threats.
Drawn to the successfully developing economy derived from the island's sugar and coffee plantations, after 1815, an increasing influx of immigrants from Corsica and other parts of Europe, South America, and the Caribbean arrived, along with even more Spaniards. All were granted free land according to the Royal Decree of Grace as long as they swore loyalty to the Spanish Crown and allegiance to the Roman Catholic Church. During this period of rapid expansion, African slaves were brought to the island in increasing numbers as well.
The last half of the 19th century was marked by the Puerto Rican struggle for sovereignty. Finally, after four centuries of colonial rule, the Prime Minister of Spain granted the island an autonomous government on November 25, 1897. Just one year later, the Spanish American War broke out and the American strategy to seize Spanish colonies resulted in Puerto Rico coming under military control of the United States. This brought about significant changes for Puerto Rico, including the use of American currency and the U.S. postal system, as well as freedom of assembly, religion, speech and press, and the establishment of a highway system, public school system, and public health service. The existing government lottery was abolished, and cockfighting was forbidden.
After the initial military government in Puerto Rico was disbanded in 1900, the United States' relationship to Puerto Rico underwent several transformations. These included the Foraker Act, which established a civil government and free commerce between the island and the United States, and The Jones Act of 1916, which made Puerto Rico a United States Territory that is "organized but unincorporated." Though Puerto Rico has maintained both Spanish and English as its "official" languages, the acts imposed the English language on Puerto Rico in various ways. This occurred during the first half of the twentieth century in terms of making English the primary language in education, with Spanish a specialized subject, and English the official language of the Puerto Rican Judicial System. However, Mariano Villaronga, Commissioner of Education under then governor Luis Muñoz Marín, was able to initiate educational reform and reinstate Spanish as the official language of education for the 1949-50 academic year. As for the judicial system, although English was the implicit official language, Spanish has maintained its position as the primary language of the island.
As the coffee industry began to falter in the period around 1900-1930, the cities began to absorb a large wave of rural immigrants. Beginning in the 1940s, this trend became more rapid, bringing drastic, and lasting changes. Agriculture was declining and manufacturing was growing, forcing massive numbers of island residents to relocate to San Juan and other urban centers on the island. This large internal migration in turn fed a mass exodus to the United States, particularly to New York City.
During the second half of the 20th century, the Puerto Rican culture continued to be influenced by immigration as well as return migration. Newcomers, mostly from Cuba and the Dominican Republic, increased steadily in the 1960s. Interestingly, in the 1970s, Puerto Rico experienced return migration, bringing a second generation of Puerto Ricans back to the island that had been born and raised in the United States.
Puerto Rico has transformed from a predominantly rural and agricultural society to primarily an urban, industrialized country with a thriving service sector, and significant migration flows both to and from the island.
Sources:
- http://puertorico-guide.info/past.and.present/
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Puerto_Rico
- http://www.enciclopediapr.org/ing/article.cfm?ref=08100301&page=2