Puerto Rico is an island with a colorful history. The original inhabitants were the peaceful Taíno Indians (Arawaks). They farmed and fished, and were a communal society. Columbus wrote in his journal that the Taíno tongue was "gentle, the sweetest in the world, always with a laugh". Chiefs were called caciques and numerous towns in PR have Taíno names to this day.
When the Spanish conquerors, arrived, they enslaved the Taínos, initially to mine gold. Because of abuse and illness, the native population was decimated. Because many of the Spanish arrived without women, there were many marriages to Indian and African women. This intermingling has resulted in a contemporary environment free of racial differences The first Spanish Governor was Juan Ponce de Leon, seeker of the fountain of youth. In the 1500’s two forts were built to repel English and Dutch invaders. Spanish rule continued, and for over 300 years, Puerto Rico was a neglected outpost. At one time ginger was the main export, and English ships clandestinely traded with PR. Once trade was opened up by Spain, in the 1800’s, coffee and sugar reigned. Slaves continued to be imported from Africa to work the plantations, though in much fewer numbers than elsewhere. In 1898 Spain ceded PR to the United States. In the early 1900’s, we were granted autonomy with Commonwealth status.
