HISTORICALLY SPEAKING PUERTO RICO PATCH PROGRAM
complete 3 requirements to earn this patch
you can print this page and share it with others

1. Puerto Rico is an island located in the Caribbean Sea and is a commonwealth of the United States. It’s nickname is “ Island of Enchantment”. View an outline of a Puerto Rico country map and its Capital. Identify it’s flag.

2. The official language of Puerto Rico is Spanish but most people that live there are bilingual and also speak English. They have also added words from the Taino Indians to their language over the years such as barbacoa, barbecue, hamaca, hammock or canoa, canoe. Learn some Spanish words OR learn some Taino words that are spoken in Puerto Rico.

3. Puerto Rican music was influenced from Spanish dances and songs as well as the rhythm and beat of African music. Traditional music has its roots in Taino Arawak and African beats. The Spanish heavily influences dance styles in Puerto Rico. Popular dances are the salsa and danza. Watch a dance OR listen to music OR sing a song OR learn more information about a dance from Puerto Rico and try your own moves.

4. Puerto Rican food combines Spanish, indigenous, and African ingredients and cooking methods. The cooking style in Puerto Rico is very distinctive, combining indigenous vegetables with the Spanish influence of spices and cash crops. Other common foods are genip, mango, tostones, fried plantains, and flan, coconut custard dessert. Many Puerto Ricans still shop for fresh fruits and vegetables at roadside stalls. Try a recipe, food, or drink from Puerto Rico.

5. Since Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States, festivals celebrated on the small island are a combination of American and Puerto Rican festivals. Many Puerto Rican festivals have street parties with fairgrounds, gambling and a lot of music. Puerto Rican holidays commemorate a lot of historical events and the birthdays of important citizens. Some examples are: Three Kings Day, Eugenio Maria de Hostos Day, Constitution Day, Luis Munz Rivera’s birthday, and Fiesta patronal. The children enjoy Kings Day, on January 6, because they receive presents. Learn more about the festivals or holidays in Puerto Rico, go to a festival, participate in one, OR complete a craft that represents a festival.

6. San Juan was protected from intruders, such as pirates, through forts and walls. The most important fort is El Morro. It is a six story castle that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Learn more about a fort, landmark, sculpture or building in Puerto Rico OR learn more about pirates.

7. Puerto Rico has a very rich history. Early history consisted of many indigenous tribes, most notably the Taino Arawak, who inhabited the land around 1000A.D. In 1493, Christopher Columbus reached the land, thus beginning the Spanish era. This Spanish influence is still very prominent in Puerto Rico today. Learn about Christopher Columbus OR about the indigenous tribe known as Taino Arawak.

8. Arecibo Observatory is one of the world’s most important space research centers. The telescope is designed to listen for vibrations of radio waves fro far out in space. It also helps scientists learn about the size, shape, and location of stars and planets. Learn more about the solar system OR go star gazing, OR learn more about the observatory .

9. The El Yunque is one of the oldest reserves in the western world. It is a tropical rainforest lined with flowers, waterfalls, and unique animals. Choose [3] animals, trees, OR plants that reside in the rainforest to learn more about. What do they look like? Examples include: Coqui frog, Puerto Rican Parrot, emerald hummingbird, quetzal, lizards, mongoose, orchid, jasmine, and hibiscus. .

10. The Taino Indians settled in Puerto Rico in AD 1000. They came from South America and built villages around the area called bayetes. They carve wooden bowls, boxes, create hammocks, clothing, belts, and jewelry to sell at the market or colmado. Create a craft or project using a traditional a skill OR jewelry OR observe someone creating a handicraft from the Taino Indians. ? Refer to the Craft section in the back of this manual.

11. There is a long history of storytelling in Puerto Rico. Many of the Indian Taino stories have there interpretation of how the world came to be what it is today. The Spaniards told stories of witches and princesses. Juan Bobo is a popular character in most of the funny stories.

12. Traditional Puerto Rican handicrafts include hammocks, festival masks, carvings of saints, musical instruments, and tatted cloth. Tatting is a technique where threads of twine are drawn into patterns and knotted together to make a lacy effect. Taino Arawak art has been found in stone carvings dating back almost 500 years, and they also created the hammock. Other people create wood carvings of detailed figures, weave, and create homemade lace from thread. Create a craft or project using a traditional a skill OR jewelry OR observe someone creating a handicraft OR a traditional craft from Puerto Rico.

13. The guayabera is the typical traditional men's wear in Puerto Rico. It is a tailored shirt with patches in the front, and is often worn over an undershirt. Traditional women's wear includes the trajes, a colorful dress of African influence. Women also wore colorful skirts with peasant bodices. Panama hats were introduced to Puerto Ricans by the Spaniards and are traditionally worn on holidays or Sundays. The hat is a wide brimmed straw-like hat. Draw a picture of the clothing, dress up in a Puerto Rican themed costume, create an accessory, complete our paper dolls OR view traditional clothing through books or the Internet or our country manual.

14. There are a variety of games played by children in Puerto Rico. Learn a traditional game OR play a game that symbolizes Puerto Rico OR play a water game OR play a game in our manual.

15. Puerto Rico is part of the greater Antilles, a chain of islands in the Caribbean sea that includes Jamaica, and Hispaniola. This region is also known as the West Indies. Puerto Rico has more than 300 miles of coastline, shared by the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. There are a variety of animals on this diverse body of land. Choose [3] animals OR plants from Puerto Rico to learn more about. Also, Locate the Atlantic and Caribbean Seas.