Why does puerto rico mean rich port

There are rainforests , dry forests, tropical forests, coastal areas, beaches and mountains. So how did such a fabulous island get its name over years ago? Puerto Rico is a large island that is eastern most of the Greater Antilles. It consists of roughly 3, square miles 9, square km and was originally settled by the Taino Indians from South America. These were peaceful people and lived in harmony. They had a cacique or chief and lived on domesticated tropical crops such as sweet potatoes, cassava, and pineapple, and supplemented their diet with seafood.

On Oct 12, Christopher Columbus first spotted land in the new world which is known today as The Bahamas. After returning to Spain with the news of his discovery it was not hard to convince King Ferdinand and Queen Isabela of Spain to finance a second trip to the new world.

On September 25, Columbus set out with 17 ships and 1, men with sheep, cattle, and horses to colonize these new lands for Spain. In , some people attempted an uprising based in the mountain town of Lares. The interim U. Having enjoyed considerable autonomy in the latter years of Spanish colonial rule, many Puerto Ricans bristled under the control exercised by the United States. In , Congress passed an act permitting Puerto Ricans to elect their own governor. Four years later, Puerto Rico would officially become a U.

By that time, the U. Even as Puerto Rico attracted an influx of big American companies, and became a center for manufacturing and tourism, the decline of its agricultural industries led many islanders to seek employment opportunities in the United States.

As citizens of a commonwealth, Puerto Ricans can elect a non-voting representative in Congress and vote in presidential primaries, but cannot vote for president because Puerto Rico is not part of the electoral college. Hundreds of thousands of voters left the second part of the referendum blank, however, leaving the question open for further debate. A fifth referendum in ended in a majority vote for statehood, but only 23 percent of voters a historic low turned out.

In , the worsening economic crisis led its governor to announce that the commonwealth could no longer meet its debt obligations. Norton , The second voyage brought European livestock horses, sheep, and cattle to America for the first time. Originally the newcomers called the island San Juan Bautista , for St.

John the Baptist and the town was named Puerto Rico " rich port " for its abundance of natural resources, specially gold and its excellent location. It was not until later that the two names were switched. Spanish colonization begins. It became the first European settlement in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican archeologist, Don Ricardo Alegria estimated that the island had some 30, inhabitants.

The first repartimiento in Puerto Rico was established, this system consisted of distributing among officials and colonists fixed numbers of Indians for wage-free and forced labor. The Spanish Crown instituted the encomienda after several priests protested against the treatment to Indians under the repartimiento system. The terms of the new agreement specified that Spaniards were obliged to pay the Indians for their labor and to teach them the Christian religion, but they soon reduced the Indians to a condition of abject slavery, claiming that the Indians were inferior and subhuman; therefore Indians were forced to work from dawn until dusk, under threat of corporal punishment and death.

Juan Garrido is the first African identified in Puerto Rico. Garrido later participates in the colonization of Florida and serves with Spanish explorer Hernan Cortex in the conquest of Mexico. It is told that after they drowned Diego, they watched him for several days until they were sure that he was dead.

Diego Columbus won rights to all land discovered by his father after presenting his case to the courts in Madrid. The Canon of Salamanca, Alonso Manso, was appointed bishop of the Puerto Rican diocese and took possession in - the first bishop to arrive in America. Christmas Eve, or Nochebuena, is more celebrated by most than Christmas Day.

A midnight mass often concludes the Christmas Eve celebrations, where the Nativity is often reenacted. Three Kings Day, which occurs on January 6, is another unique part of the celebrations.

The night before the holiday, children set out shoeboxes or hats under their beds for gifts from the Magi. The town of Juana has held a huge celebration on that day for over years. Over 25, people gather for the celebration. Festivals and celebrations are held throughout the years in different provinces and communities. These festivals are often accompanied by parades with colorful puppets and floats, food, dancing, and song.

Baseball is by far the most popular sport in Puerto Rico. It was first introduced in the country by Americans and Cubans, with the first leagues starting in It even began to be taught in schools. There have been many notable professional baseball players from Puerto Rico, including Roberto Clemente and Carlos Beltran.

Religion has always been important to the Puerto Rican people. The Taino people were deeply spiritual and worshiped multiple gods who they believed lived in nature.