Puerto Rico History Trivia

1. When was Puerto Rico discovered?

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: 1493

On Christopher Columbus second journey he discovered the island now called Puerto Rico.

From Quiz Vieques: A Chronology of Events

Answer: 26,000

The island locals had to move to a narrow strip of land in the island's center. To this day, most of the "Viequenses" homes and businesses are located over there.

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: U.S.A.

In 1952 Governor Luis Munoz Marin signed a 'commonwealth' with President Harry Truman.

From Quiz Important Dates in the History of Puerto Rico

Answer: 1493

The Tainos called the island Boriken; however, Columbus decided to rename it in dedication to St. John the Baptist. San Juan Bautista or San Juan remained the island's name into the 1500s, when merchants and traders gradually began referring to the island as Puerto Rico, or "rich or wealthy port or harbor". Today, of course, San Juan lives on as the name of the capital city of Puerto Rico.

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Juan Ponce de Leon

When the island became a Spanish colony the King of Spain named De Leon Governor of the island.

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Jesus T. Pinero

When Puerto Rico passed on to the USA, the President always named the governor. In the 1940s, President Truman named a Puerto Rican J.T. Pinero as Governor.

From Quiz Important Dates in the History of Puerto Rico

Answer: Sir Francis Drake

While often victorious against the Spanish elsewhere, Sir Francis Drake lost the Battle of San Juan, as it was to be called. In fact, he himself nearly died when a cannonball blasted through his cabin on board the flag ship. He did indeed die a few weeks later in January of 1596 due to dysentery, and he was buried at sea. Divers still search for his coffin to this day. In 1598, George Clifford, the Third Earl of Cumberland, and his men did manage to capture San Juan for the English Crown. However, he was not able to hold it because of the loss of soldiers to disease.

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Luis Munoz Marin

The President let people of the island choose their governor for themselves. In 1948 the people elected Marin, who was beloved by all the country. He also signed a 'commonwealth'.

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: 1895

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Borinken

Before the island was discovered by the Europeans, the Taino called the island Borinken.

From Quiz Important Dates in the History of Puerto Rico

Answer: The Jones-Shafroth Act or Jones Act

The Jones-Shafroth Act (also known as The Jones Act or the Puerto Rican Federal Relations Act of 1917) was an act of the United States Congress to confer full citizenship to the inhabitants of Puerto Rico. The act also created a bill of rights for Puerto Rico's citizens, established the Senate of Puerto Rico, and allowed for the election of a Resident Commissioner, who is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives allowed to function as a U.S. Representative in all other respects, including serving on committees. However, all other key government officials, including Pureto Rico's governor, continued to be appointed by the United States President.

From Quiz Vieques: A Chronology of Events

Answer: killed him

David Sanes Rodriguez was a civilian security guard. Two F-18 airplanes dropped two 500 pound bombs outside their targets area, killing him instantly. There are several memorials dedicated to him in Vieques, and every year the anniversary of his death is remembered. This was the event that made 'all hell break loose' in the already delicate situation.

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Spanish

It was the same language of the first people to conquer the island. The Spaniards.

From Quiz Vieques: A Chronology of Events

Answer: 2 months

After the terrible Sanes incident, the US Navy stopped all operations for a period of 2 months. There were many protests in the next year, leading to the arrest (for trespassing the Navy's facilities) of many PR politicians (of all parties), nuns, priests, US politicians and activists and ordinary citizens.

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean

The island is the smallest of the Greater Antilles, and the biggest of the Lesser Antilles. It is located next to the Dominican Republic and has the Atlantic Ocean on the north and Caribbean Sea on the south. It is also one point of the famous "Bermuda Triangle".

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Ricky Martin

Ricky Martin was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was part of teen sensation boy band MENUDO, that was an all P.R. boy band for many years.

From Quiz Vieques: A Chronology of Events

Answer: Rev. Jesse Jackson

Jesse Jackson didn't go to Vieques to protest, he went to offer moral support. His words were: "In some sense, what is happening in Vieques is a source of embarrassment for our nation, and a source of international shame". His wife was arrested for participating in civil disobedience in the island.

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: The radiotelescope observatory

The Arecibo Radio telescope observatory is the biggest in the world and was built on the island by NASA because was the only place in the world where there was a valley surrounded by four mountains which could act as 'corners'.

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: San Juan

The capital city was first Guaynabo, but later passed to San Juan.

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Don Q

Don Q is one famous rum known world wide.The headquarters are in Ponce,P.R. Don Q. stands for Don Quixote. Bacardi is also a famous rum that is made in P.R. and other Latin countries but originally from Cuba.

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Cuba

As a sign of the only two remaining colonies of Spain, Puerto Rico adopted the Cuban flag only they inverted the colors. Later on Cuba got their independence and Puerto Rico was passed to the U.S. in the Spanish-American War.

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Roberto Clemente and Orlando Cepeda

Orlando Cepeda and Roberto Clemente were both from Puerto Rico. They both loved playing baseball and were very important to the baseball world. Roberto Clemente died in 1972 while sending supplies to the people of Nicaragua who had suffered from a fatal earthquake. Other famous baseball players from P.R. are Juan Gonzalez, Ivan Rodriguez, Bernie Williams, Edgar Martinez, Roberto Alomar, Sandy Alomar, Jose Cruz jr., Ben Molina, Joey Cora and many others.

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