Puerto Rico is an island located in the Caribbean east of the Dominican Republic. It has a unique culture influenced by both Spanish and American influences. Puerto Ricans have a strong national pride and identity despite being a commonwealth of the United States. Some of Puerto Rico's most famous aspects are its bioluminescent beaches, rich musical traditions like salsa and reggaeton, and famous athletes and entertainers like Jennifer Lopez that call the island home.

1. By Vincent Salazar
 PUERTO RICO 

2. Location; Puerto Rico is located in the Caribbean and the North Atlantic
east of the Dominican Republic
http://www.topuertorico.org/geogra.shtml
http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/facts-about-puerto-rico-things-to-do-in-puerto-rico.html

3. Bioluminescent Beach
One of the most interesting facts about Puerto Rico is that they have a beach on Vieques Island
that glows, or are bioluminescent. There are plankton in the water that glow when they are
touched or moved. It is one of the only places in the world where you can see this.

4. “Both Spanish and English are official languages. Most Puerto Ricans speak
Spanish at home. But kids are taught English as a second language in school, so
many Puerto Ricans speak some English. Sometimes people use both languages
in the same sentence! This unique combination of mixing English words with
Spanish is called Spanglish.”
Puerto Rico: Language (2016). CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest. Retrieved from http://online.culturegrams.com
Language
rightbrainrevival.com

5. Government
“Puerto Rico is a commonwealth. That means it is part of the United States,
although it has power to govern itself.
The island is like a state, with a governor and a legislature (lawmaking body). The
Legislative Assembly, a 27-member Senate and a 51-member House of
Representatives who makes Puerto Rico’s laws.
The people living in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens, but they don’t have to pay federal
income tax. However, they also don’t get to vote for the president. They send a
representative resident commissioner to the U.S. House of Representatives. He or
she has a voice in Congress but can’t vote on laws. The voting age is 18, and Puerto
Rico usually has a very high rate of voter turnout. Elections are held on the same
schedule as in the United States.”
Puerto Rico: Government (2016). CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest. Retrieved from http://online.culturegrams.com/kids

6. Influences
• “Some of Puerto Rico’s earliest settlers were the Taíno. They called their island Boriquen, which
means “land of the brave lord.” Eventually, all Puerto Ricans became known as boricuas.”
• “Christopher Columbus landed on the island in 1493 and the Taíno welcomed him.
In 1508, Juan Ponce de León led a group of conquistadors (conquerors) to the island in search
of gold. Ponce de León became governor of the island. ”
• “The Spanish also built forts on the island so Puerto Rico could protect the rest of Spain’s
territories. The largest and most famous fort was El Morro, located on a cliff high above San
Juan Bay. Spain would rule Puerto Rico for close to four hundred years.”
• “Around 1897, Spain fought and lost a war with the United States. Because of this, Spain gave
Puerto Rico to the United States in 1898.”
Puerto Rico: The Taíno (2016). CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest. Retrieved from http://online.culturegrams.com/kids
Puerto Rico: Spanish rule (2016). CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest. Retrieved from http://online.culturegrams.com/kids
Puerto rico: U.S. rule (2016). CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest. Retrieved from http://online.culturegrams.com/kids
www.trespalmasinn.com

7. Famous Landmark: Iglesia Porta Coeli
Iglesia Porta Coeli ranks among the city's chief
landmarks, as the oldest church anywhere in
the Americas, built in 1606. Masses are only
held three times per year, but the church is
open to visitors continuously, with many sacred
objects and artifacts lining its walls. Porta Coeli
means “heaven’s door”.
Photo and Text credit: places.eyetour.com/whatToSee/san-german/59/museo-de-arte-religioso-porta-coeli

8. The mouth of San Juan Harbour, is in
San Juan, Capital City of Puerto Rico.
Old San Juan is the oldest city in the
U.S. and its territories. San Juan was
settled in 1521 by the Spanish.
Capital City: San Juan
Photo Credit: sanjuanpuertorico.com

9. http://welcome.topuertorico.org/bori.shtml
In 1952 the government of Puerto Rico approved a law establishing "La Borinqueña" as the official
anthem of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. La Borinqueña Lyrics: Manuel Fernández Juncos (1846-
1928)
La tierra de Borinquén
donde he nacido yo,
es un jardín florido
de mágico fulgor.
Un cielo siempre nítido
le sirve de dosel
y dan arrullos plácidos
las olas a sus pies.
Cuando a sus playas llegó Colón;
Exclamó lleno de admiración;
"Oh!, oh!, oh!, esta es la linda
tierra que busco yo".
Es Borinquén la hija,
la hija del mar y el sol,
del mar y el sol,
del mar y el sol,
del mar y el sol,
del mar y el sol.
The land of Borinquen
where I have been born.
It is a florid garden
of magical brilliance.
A sky always clean
serves as a canopy.
And placid lullabies are given
by the waves at her feet.
When at her beaches Columbus arrived,
he exclaimed full of admiration:
Oh! Oh! Oh!
This is the beautiful land, that I seek.
It is Borinquen the daughter,
the daughter of the sea and the sun.
of the sea and the sun,
of the sea and the sun,
of the sea and the sun,
of the sea and the sun!
Translation by Samuel Quiros

10. Puerto Ricans love to dance and listen to music. One
of their favorite kinds of music and dance is called
salsa. This has a strong, fast beat. Other favorites are
reggaeton and Meringue.
Many popular singers you might know are Puerto
Rican, like Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, and Jennifer
Lopez.
Music
http://giphy.com http://giphy.com http://giphy.com

11. Sports and Famous Athletes
S for almost as long as Americans have. The island has many different teams and a professional
league and sends the champion to the Caribbean Series and national teams to world
tournaments. Everyone watches their favorite local and American teams on television.
Basketball has become as popular as baseball in Puerto Rico. Boxing is also very popular on the
island, which has produced several world champions.
Pirates Outfielder Roberto
Clemente died in a plane
crash as he flew to Nicaragua.
In 2002, Maritza Correia made history when
she became the first black woman to break an
American record. She later became the first
black woman to earn a place on the U.S.
Olympic swim team.
Jorge Rafael Posada Villeta is a Puerto
Rican former professional baseball
catcher who played 17 seasons in Major
League Baseball for the New York
Yankees.
Puerto Rico: Games and sports (2016). CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest. Retrieved from http://online.culturegrams.com
Photos Credit: http://www.biography.com

12. More Famous Puerto Ricans
Benicio Del Toro
Film Actor
Alejandro García Padilla
Governor of Puerto Rico (2013-)
Nominated by President Barack Obama on
May 26, 2009, Sonia Sotomayor became the
first Latina Supreme Court Justice in U.S.
history.
Photos Credit: http://www.biography.com

13. The Flag of Puerto Rico
“The flag of Puerto Rico was influenced by the flag of the
United States but is also similar to the Cuban flag. The red
and white stripes stand for the blood and victory of those
who fought for the country. The star and triangle
represent Puerto Rico surrounded by water. The three
sides of the triangle symbolize the three branches of
government. When Puerto Rico became a Commonwealth
in July 25, 1952 it was officially adopted as the national
flag.“
Puerto Rico (2016). CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest. Retrieved from http://online.culturegrams.com/world

14. Video Credit: nikosnature www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZUOiZG84c0
The coquí frog is the national animal of Puerto Rico. Its length
ranges between about half an inch and 3 inches. The color of the
coquí can be green, brown and yellowish, sometimes having
touches of different colors or stripes.
www.topuertorico.org/coqui.shtml
Why is the coquí so important? Without the coqui, Puerto
Rico would be taken over by bugs and insects. It is also a
tourist attraction. People want to remember the coquí so they
buy souvenirs of the frog. coqui.monids.org/importance.html

15. Dress
Photo credit: thelovelyplanet.net
Cultural Dress is a blend of jibaro and Bomba

17. My cousin’s husband, Jaime Rivera, is from Puerto Rico. I interviewed him
about Puerto Rico. He also made us pollo quesado and talked to me
about some ingredients that he used. The pollo quesado had chicken,
pumpkin, rice, pigeon peas, pink beans, and green olives.

18. Did you know?
• There are five Miss Universe winners from Puerto Rico.
• Puerto Rico has the world’s largest telescope, called Arecibo Observatory.
• Driving could get kind of confusing. You still drive on the right side of the road in PR, but the signs are in Spanish and
gas is in liters.
• The Cuatro is the national instrument of Puerto Rico?
• There are more Puerto Ricans living in the rest of the United States than in the island of Puerto Rico.
• the world famous drink, the Piña Colada was invented in a house on Fortaleza Street in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico and
was invented by Ramón López Irizarry?
• Puerto Rico has never had a civil war
• The zip code is 00601, the lowest assigned to any United States geographic location
• One of the most popular Christmas songs in the United States Feliz Navidad was written by a Puerto Rican, José Feliciano.
• The Puerto Rican spindalis is the national bird of Puerto Rico.
• The majority of the rum sold in the United States comes from Puerto Rico.
• When Puerto Ricans are born, they get both their father’s and their mother’s last names.
• Many Puerto Rican women don’t change their last names when they get married.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Puerto_Rico/Did_you_know-Puerto_Rico%3F
Puerto rico (2016). CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest. Retrieved from http://online.culturegrams.com/kids
www.pwrc.usgs.gov