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Puerto
Rico
A Commonwealth of the USA
On the 19th of November 1493, Christopher Columbus discovered the island
of Puerto Rico. San Juan was already a city in the early 1500s. One
of the first universities in the New World was founded there. One of
the earliest attempts to colonize the US was led by Juan Ponce de Leon,
governor of Puerto Rico, when around 1513 he led a small fleet from
San Juan to the coast of Florida. Puerto Rico remained under Spanish
rule and was granted autonomy in the late 1800s. During the Spanish
American War, the US defeated the Spanish Navy in the Pacific and the
Atlantic. The American fleet then proceeded towards Puerto Rico. There
were landings at a couple of points on the island. The fleet laid siege
to San Juan and bombarded the fortresses and the city. The 5000 defenders
surrendered to the landing force of 15000. Thus, in 1898, Puerto Rico
became a colony of the USA. The Foraker Act of 1900 made Puerto Ricans
"citizens of Puerto Rico, entitled to the protection of the US".
In 1917, congress passed the Jones Act granting US citizenship to all
persons born in Puerto Rico. In 1950, congress enacted Law 600 that
recognized Puerto Rico's right to self-rule and authorized the organization
of a government based on a constitution drawn up by Puerto Ricans. The
constitution creating the "Estado
Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" (Commonwealth of Puerto Rico)
was effective on the 25th of July 1952. Since then, Puerto Ricans have
elected their own governor, cabinet members, and congress. Puerto Rico
elects a "Resident Commissioner" in Washington who sits in
congress (and can be a committee member) with voice but no vote. Puerto
Ricans can vote in the US elections if they reside in the continental
US. However, they cannot be candidates for the presidency of the US
if they were born outside the continental US.
First
US Shot of World War I in Puerto Rico
Puerto Ricans have participated and contributed as citizens of the
US in many different ways. In the Armed Forces, they have participated
in every conflict in which the US has been involved since 1898. The
first shot of World War I (by the US) was fired by a Puerto Rican serving
in the US Army, Colonel Teofilo Marxuach.
Colonel Marxuach was officer of the day at El Morro Fortress, at the
entrance to San Juan Bay, on the 21st of March 1915. On that day, an armed supply ship
for German submarines in the Atlantic, the Odenwald, tried to force
its way out of the bay. Colonel Marxuach opened fire from the walls
of the fortress and forced the ship to return to port and be interned.
Medals earned by Puerto Rican servicemen and women include four Congressional
Medals of Honor and numerous Silver and Bronz Stars. The 65th
Infantry Regiment was one of the most decorated units in the Korean
War. Puerto Ricans were awarded more Purple Hearts than servicemen from
any other state on a per capita basis. Other distinguished Puerto Ricans
in military service include Antonia
Coelho de Novello, MD (a graduate of the U of PR School of Medicine)
who was the US's first woman Surgeon General; Admiral
Horacio Rivero (headed NATO for the US and was also US Ambassador
to Spain); and Admiral
Alberto Diaz (headed the San Diego Naval Medical District and Balboa
Naval Hospital until 2001). An abbreviated list of other distinguished
Puerto Ricans includes: singer Ricky
Martin; 2001 Oscar winner Benicio
del Toro (Traffic); heavyweight boxing champion John Ruiz (defeated
Evander Holyfield); actors Jennifer
Lopez and Raul
Julia (Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Adam's Family, Romero); Oscar
winners Rita
Moreno (West Side Story) and Jose
Ferrer (Cyrano de Bergerac, The Caine Mutiny Court Martial); Grammy
winner Olga Tanon; Denise
Quiñones Miss Universe 2001 (there are four Miss Universe
from PR); middleweight champion Felix
Trinidad; Wilfredo
Benitez (youngest fighter in boxing history to win a world title,
at age 17); golfer Chi-Chi
Rodriguez (22 Senior PGA Tour championships); tennis champ Gigi
Fernandez won two Olympic Gold medals and 14 Grand Slam titles (together
with Natasha Zvereva); cellist Pablo
Casals (whose mother was from Ponce, PR); Aida
Alvarez who was the first Hispanic woman in the President's cabinet
(SBA administrator 1997); and many more. Puerto Rico currently has its
first woman governor, Mrs. Sila
M. Calderon.
By: Dr. Antonio J. Grillo-López, MD
July 10, 2001
      
For more information
please contact:
La Casa de Puerto Rico
P.O. Box 81982
San Diego, CA 92138
(619) 685-2847
hprsd@houseofpuertorico.com
Email
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