At the time of the Spanish encounter, Puerto Rico was inhabited by approximately 70,000 to 100,000 indigenous people. The Taínos, a peaceful group of farmers, made up the vast majority of the population. They had named the island Borikén, meaning, “the great land of the valiant and noble Lord,” and had divided it into different regions, each having a cacique or chieftain. Their ancestors had migrated hundreds of years earlier from South America and had populated much of the Caribbean.
On November 19, 1493, Christopher Columbus, on his second voyage to the Americas, sighted the island and claimed it for the Spanish Crown. The Spanish named it San Juan Bautista in honor of St. John the Baptist and named the capital Puerto Rico or rich port. In 1521, the names were switched by Juan Ponce de León, the island’s first governor. Interestingly, it was also Governor Ponce de León who, from Puerto Rico, while leading his famous expedition in search of the Fountain of Youth, “discovered” for European eyes the land known today as the Sunshine State, and gave Florida its name.
During the 16th century, as a result of forced labor and European diseases for which they had no immunity, the Taíno Indians virtually disappeared as a distinct ethnic group. Their influence, however, survives to this day in the language, culture and people of Puerto Rico.
Needing a new population of laborers to work in mines and construction as well as in agriculture, the Spanish began to introduce African slaves into Puerto Rico as early as 1513. The Africans had a significant impact on the nascent mulatto culture of the Islands. Their music, food and many other customs became a part of the fabric of the society.
The gold mines were declared depleted in 1570, giving way to the dominance of agriculture and, in particular, sugar cane as the main engine of economic growth. The needs of the burgeoning economy spurred the establishment of townships throughout Puerto Rico.
In 1776, the official census numbers stated that the population of Puerto Rico had grown to only 70,210. In order to further increase the number of inhabitants, the Spanish began to grant land deeds to people from all over Europe, particularly Corsicans and Canary Islanders.
Back to About Puerto Rico
© 2009 PRFAA |