Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Spanish control.....


"Towns in Spanish colonies were laid out in accordance with strict requirements set down by the mother country. Following the dictates of Catholic priests and the Law of the Indies, streets were arranged at right angles to one another, plazas created, and sites determined for major buildings. The discipline of this spatial pattern was faithfully adhered to from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries." ("Historic Architecture in the Caribbean Islands." University Press of Florida, 1994.)
On Plaza de Armas, is the oldest of many plazas in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. Early inhabitants put forth in preparing for attacks. The plaza was used for both governmental and social center for the Spanish and the people. In 1630s, construction on the San Juan Wall began but was not completed until 1700s, the wall was watched day and night by guards with six gates that cutoff admission to the city. In 1639, the San Juan Gate is the only one built by the Spanish that is still in existance. This gate was a form of protection against invaders and only source of entry; the
city walls in Puerto Rico were 20 feet thick and 50 feet high. One of the gates was situated by the governor's mansion.
The cities of San Juan, Puerto Rico were built around a central plaza with churches and streets laid out in a grid. Plaza las Delicias was a town center where the cathedral, city hall, and fire station were located. This Plaza was in Puerto Rico's south coast, Ponce. There was other significant aspects that were added on by the Spanish to put forth the aspect of good government and unity with Chrisitianity like fountains, trees, and benches. There also still remains some original pedestrian step streets which are: Callej'on de las Monjas and Caleta del Hospital.
Through out Puerto Rico is many forts and walls that still stand today. Originally, Spain started to build fortifications and sandstone walls to protect the city from attacks from other countries.
Also the Casa Blanca mansion was built to protect Ponce de Leon unfortuneatly; he never lived there yet his descendants did for hundreds of years to follow. In 1779, Casa Blanca became a military function for the Spanish militia. Casa Alcaldia was a city hall building in San Juan in which it began building in 1602 this contributed to the historical government site.
Sources:
Big C Productions. "Puerto Rico-In Depth. " http://www.bigseaproductions.com/_PuertoRico/index.html
Crain, Edward. "Historic Architecture in the Caribbean Islands."Published by University Press of Florida, 1994.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Inquisition of Puerto Rico........



In 1513, Bishop Manso became the first Provincial Inquisitador. Diego Torres Vargas explains in his memoirs, "Manso was made inquisitador, and he, being the first, may be said to have been the Inquisitador-General of the Indies;...the delinquents were brought from all parts to be burned and punished here..." ("The History of Puerto Rico" D. Appleton and company, 1903). The sinners were not tied to a stake but captured in a hollow plaster cast, in which they were roasted instead of burned.

There is only a few recorded incidents of the Tribunal the rest of the records of the Inquisitador had been destroyed. One being Licentiate Sancho Velasquez, whom was the first to die in a dungeon for speaking againt Catholic faith and eating meat during Lent. After the West Indian Superior Tribunal was sent to Cartagena, the only thing left in Puerto Rico a subordinate judge.

February 22, a decree with a manifesto created, "The true religion which we profess is the greatest blessing which God has bestowed on the Spanish people; we do not recognize as Spaniards those who do not profess it...It is the surest support of all private and social virtues, of fidelity to the laws and to the monarch, of the love of the country and of just liberty, which are impelled you to battle with the hosts of usurper, vanquishing and annihilating them, while braving hunger and nakedness, torture, and death." ("The History of Puerto Rico" D. Appleton and company, 1903).

The Tribunal process was first, when an accusation was made the accused was sent to a prison in which they had no contact with family members until it was either resolved or condemned. The accused was no able any assistance from any family member and the name of the accuser was never revealed. Through this process, the accused was either proclaimed to either confess or deny the accusation and that would constitute how the punishment would be assessed.

The Inquisition "was introduced under the pretext of restraining the Moors and Jews, who were obnoxious to the Spanish people, and who found protection in their financial relations with the most illustrous families of the kingdom. Religion demanded it as a protection, and the people permitted it, though not without strong protest. " ("The History of Puerto Rico" D. Appleton and company, 1903).

Sources:

Middeldyk, Rudolph and Brumbaugh/ Martin. " The History of Puerto Rico: From the Spanish Discovery to the American Occupation." D. Appleton and company (1903).

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Resources......


Cassava or Yuca
















Maize

Mamey







Guava









Puerto Rico had an abundant amount of natural resources on the island which was possessed by the Taino Indians before colonization. They had many fruits and they used plants and trees for specific use which was used intelligently. The primary natural resource that the Taino Indians used was the Yuca or the Cassava. This plant is starch rich and a major source of carbohydrates but very low in proteins. They also harvested yautías, mamey, guava, maize, and anón. "Taínos believed that corn grew with the moon so they planted it on hillsides during the new moon. Some corn was picked while young and tender and it was eaten raw. Fully ripened corn was roasted." ("Tainos." El Boricua Un Poqutio De Todo (1996). The Tainos built a dwelling from a single tree which was called the Royal Palm, it was also used for buldings. Many other trees were used for chairs, bowls, and spears. They also built canoes from several other trees that could carry more than a hundred people. Tainos used the jagua tree for dyeing cotton, the guama for makingf rope and the jucaro for underwater construction. The Indians houses which were called bohois were made of palm tree. They made hammocks from cotton cloth and wooden bowls for mixing and displaying food. Also used gourds for drinking water.


The Tainos were skilled farmers, sailors, fishermen, hunters, and navigators. Their efficient ways of using their natural resources and surronding aspects made their well being pretty attainable before colonization because they had nutrition foods and technical materials with skills they produced. They not only were skillful in the agricultural aspect of it but also in the artisitc side. They produced magnficent pieces of art, " Not much of it has survived but there are sculptures, ceramics, jewelry, weaving, scepters, daggers, cemís, dujos, game belts and other Taíno artifacts in museums today. Most of their ceremonial artifacts were hidden from the Spanish in caves." (Tainos." El Boricua Un Poquito De Todo. (1996).


A major import that arised into Puerto Rico in 1516 when colonization was apparent was sugar cane. It's been said that Christopher Columbus carried sugar cane stem cuttings from the Canary Islands and then other Spanish colonists spread the crop to Puerto Rico. The European colonists not only the crop but also brought the technique to use it which was planted by plowing furrows. With this new cultivation that means lots more work and needed hands so slavery evolved with the work that was needed all around Puerto Rico not only sugar canes but mines also. The Native Americans specifically the Taino Indians were forced into slavery and left behind their stable way of living at the hands of the colonists. "A Catholic priest named Bartolomé de las Casas asked King Ferdinand of Spain to protect the Taino Indians of the Caribbean by importing African slaves instead. So, around 1505, enslaved Africans were first brought to the New World." ("Sugar and Slavery: Molasses to Rum to Slaves.") In 1598, Ginger replaces sugar as Puerto Rico's main cash crop. It wasn't until 1776, that an export was produced from Puerto Rico and that was of coffee.

Sources:


-Barreiro, Jose. "A Note on Tainos: Whither Progress?" Northwest Indian Quarterly, pp. 66-67. (1990).


-Figueroa, Ivonne. "Taínos." El Boricua Un Poquito De Todo....a monthly cultural publication for Puerto Ricans. (1996). http://www.elboricua.com/history.html


-Rivera, Magaly. "Tainos Indians Culture" (2008). http://www.topuertorico.org/reference/taino.shtml

-West, Jean. "Sugar and Slavery: Molasses to Rum to Slaves." http://www.slaveryinamerica.org/history/hs_es_sugar.htm































































































































































Thursday, September 25, 2008

The Conquest.......


"The population of the island is so scattered that we find houses everywhere we go. There is a great abundance of bananas, and fish are plentiful in the rivers and along the coast; there is a great supply of fruits, sweet potatoes, beans, corn, and rice in the hills. Cow's milk is abundant. Household furniture....usually consists of only a hammock and a kettle....A machete is the only instrument used in their work. With it, they cut the sticks, vines, and palm leaves their houses and also clear the ground and plant and cultivate their crops." -Translated from Fray Inigo Abbad, 1788. (The Puerto Ricans: A Documentary History. Praeger Publishers, 1973).



A picture of a hammock with a Taino Indian.

Juan Ponce de Leon was the conqueror of Puerto Rico in 1508. His intention in the conquest was due to the so-called abundant amounts of gold and the numerous resources that this island produced. The Taino Indians were the orginial inhabitiants of Puerto Rico when the conquerors arrived to take over the land. These Indians were the cultivators of this region and knew how to keep the island flourishing with the crops and labor needed to go on as a major colony. The natural resources that the Taino Indians used satisfied their essential need for survival. They also used the technique for cultivation known as slash-and-burn, although it damaged the soil. Frank Moya Pons describes, "Cultivation was started by setting fire to the area of forest which was to be cleared. Then the soil was heaped into mounds on top of which stalks were planted. These heaps measured some nine to twelve feet across, and were two or three feet apart." (History of Puerto Rico. Markus Wiener Publishers, 2006 p. 13-14).

The Taino Indians were the major reason why Puerto Rico was such a flourishing island because of their patience and expertise in their natural resources it enabled Puerto Rico to sustain its abundance. When the conquistadors arrived they at first wanted to take over; quite, peacefully. Eventually, they became more intense with the conversion to Christianity and pratically turned the Taino Indians into slaves in the mines and fortifications. The Spaniards were extremely greedy men that wanted gold and fortunes but didn't want to do the hard labor themselves so they forced it upon the Indians. In a reading from Benjamin Keen he states, " The Indians were to be forced to labor, but as free men." (The Puerto Ricans: A Documentary History. Praeger Publishers, 1973. p. 22).

Consequently, the Taino Indians were decimating in large numbers due to the diseases, enslavement, fleeing, and slaughters that was occurring on the Island at the hands of the colonists. So without the valuable Taino Indians to do all the hard labor and productivity..what was the settlers to do? The settlers were not fit to hard labor and maintain a flourishing island without the Indians which made it this rich possession. In 1579, Fray Diego de Salamanca, reported back to the King, "The main reason for the deterioration and stagnation of this island is the lack of slaves, for planting the sugar and mining the gold as before, when it was in such great abundance....There is no lack of gold, but there are no slaves to mine it, and if a number of them brought here it would do much good for the Royal Treasury, and this poor island would truly recover the title of Puerto Rico." (The Puerto Ricans: A Documentary History. Praeger Publishers, 1973. p. 35-36). The Spanish colonists became seemingly disinterested in Puerto Rico because they weren't making enough money to satify their needs. Even the importation of the African Slaves in the second half of the 16th century didn't motivate the Spaniards nor the economy. But there was still some colonists that tried to revitalize the island and introduced plants and animals, sugar, coffee and bananaes, etc.

"The colonization process itself and the forces of change which accompanied it were anything but insignificant: the indigenous population was reduced, dispersed, or assimilated, and the beginnings of a new nation and people definitely took root." (Economic History of Puerto Rico: Institutional Change and Capitalist Development. Princeton University Press, 1986. p. 10).

The Conquest of Puerto Rico completely changed the colony as a whole; and changed the lives of the Taino Indians overall. Before they arrived the Taino Indians produced an island that was flourishing to the highest standards. When the Spainards arrived they turned the island upside down, decimated the native indians, brought the economy down, and couldn't keep up with the natural resources due to limited laborers. I believe that the colonization of Puerto Rico was complete failure and should have been colonized in a way that would have benefited everyone all together.

Sources:

Dietz, James. "Economic History of Puerto Rico: Institutional Change and Capitalist Development." Published by Princeton University Press. (1986).

Pico, Fernando. "History of Puerto Rico: A Panorama of Its People." Markus Wierner Publishers. (2006).

Wagenheim, Kal. "The Puerto Ricans: A Documentary History. " Praeger Publishers. (1973).

Thursday, September 18, 2008




The Taino Indians were the indigenous inhabitants when Juan Ponce de Leon came to San Juan, Puerto in 1508. They spoke a type of Arawak and their word usage was extensive. Many Taino words persist in the Dominican vocabulary of today like those of plants and trees. Ponce de Leon came to Puerto Rico with a interpreter named Juan Gonzalez; who was also his first cousin and painted like an Indian. He was very well received by the Tainos. Ponce de Leon and his men were aware that the Taino Indians had communication with each other and were careful not to cause them to be enemies at first. Juan Gonzalez was able to communicate with Agueybana which developed a pact between Ponce de Leon and Agueybaná. They agreed that if Ponce de León helped in fighting against the Carib Indians then he could select a spot on the island to build his frontier. Ponce de León selected Caparra, which is now San Juan. The first repartimiento in Puerto Rico took place in 1509. By the terms of the agreement, the Spaniards were obliged to pay the Indians for their labor and to teach them the Christian religion. Ponce de Leon first had Juan Gonzalez lead a group of men overland to what is now San Juan. At first Juan Ponce de Leon came in peace to cooperate with the Taino Indians but eventually lead to forced enslavement and labor that later made them essentially extinct. Some people believe that Juan Ponce de Leon conquered Puerto Rico with force and treated the Taino Indians horribly but others say he was of the few that actually was decent to them and treated them humanely. Well I guess the only ones that know the truth is Ponce de Leon and the Taino Indians...



Sources:

-Greenberger, R. "Juan Ponce de Leon. " The Rosen Publishing Group. (2003).
-Puerto Rican Reconstruction Adminstration. "History," from Puerto Rico: A Guide to the Island of Boriquen. " American Guide Series. The University Society, Inc. New York. (1940).
- Vazquez, D. "Spain in Puerto Rico: The Early Settlements. " Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. (2003).
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1986/2/86.02.01.x.html

Taino Language:
"Our Father" in Taíno:
Guakia baba (Our Father)
turey toca (is in sky)
guami-ke-ni (Lord of land and water)
guami-caraya-guey (Lord of moon and sun)
guariko (come to)
guakia (us)
tayno-ti (good,tall)
bo-matun; (big,generous)
busica (give to )
guakia (us)
aje-cazabi; (tubercles,bread)
juracan-na (bad spirit,no)
maboya-ua (ghost,no)
jukiyu-jan; (good spirit,yes)
Diosa (of God)
nabori daca ( servant am I)
Jan-jan catu (So be it)
[from Prehistoria de Puerto Rico, Dr. Cayetano Coll y Toste]
http://prboriken.com/taino.htm

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Juan Ponce de León





In 1508, Ponce de León (1460-1521) conquered and explored the first settlement in Puerto Rico , Caparra (later renamed San Juan) which he claimed under the Spanish crown. Ponce de León, a former lieutenant under Christopher Columbus, accompanied Columbus on his second voyage to the New World. The Indians advised him that he would find gold in his neighboring island to the east, which was Puerto Rico. During his conquest, he used just a few troops and a famous greyhound dog named Bercerillo which scared the Naive Americans. Nevertheless, he was greeted with open arms by the Tainos, Cacique, Agueybana. As a result, Ponce de León was named Governor of Puerto Rico in 1509 by King Ferndinand of Spain. Most of the settlers alleged that the island was being well run by him; it had an abundant amount of natural resources and a large number of slaves. Ponce de León and the other conquistadors forced the Tainos to work in the mines and to construct fortifications. But he was noted for his passive treatment of the Indians. Within a year, Juan Ponce de León had subdued most of the Native Americans and gained control over most of the Island. The Tainos were diminishing in great numbers after exposure to the European diseases (smallpox, influenza, measles, and typhus) and the enslavement they subjected on them. Ponce de León, however, became rich while serving as Governor. As early as 1511, Fray Antonio de Montesinos from the Catholic doctrine fought to abolish the inhumane treatment and forced labor of the Tainos on Puerto Rico. The Complementary Declaration of July 28th, 1513 established that those natives who were clothed, Christian, and capable could live their own lives. In 1512, Juan Ponce de León was removed from office and replaced by Christopher Columbus's son, Diego Columbus, in a political conflict. Some say it was because of Taino's almost demise and some say it was due to Columbus's death that triggered his son's greediness. He left Puerto Rico and started to explore areas north of Cuba. Juan Ponce de León conquered and help colonize the new lands by forcing the Indians into slavery. By 1513, African slaves were introduced into the island and by 1540 the gold reserves were worn out.The farms capitalized on slave labor to maintain limited cash development of cassava, corn, tobacco, ginger, etc. During the 1520s, the island took the name of Puerto Rico and the port became well-known San Juan.



Sources:



-Dietz, J. "Economic History of Puerto Rico: Institutional Change and Capitalist Development." Princeton University Press. (1986). http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=7lUqqXjo9csC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=Juan+Ponce+de+leon+and+the+native+americans+in+puerto+rico%3F&ots=kHNxLUUPrL&sig=y0iUMiifbsCWvfrSnrkIDZI-uO8#PPA5,M1
-Schimmer, R. "Puerto Rico." Yale University.(2008). http://www.yale.edu/gsp/colonial/puerto-rico/index.html










Monday, September 1, 2008

San Juan, Puerto Rico



Puerto Rico is a tropical island ecosystem that is the eastermost and smallest of the Greater Antilles. Puerto Rico was founded in 1492 by Chritstopher Columbus, naming it San Juan Bautista. The Tainos, were the indigenous inhabitants, before Columbus discovered this valuable island. The word "Taino" comes directly from Columbus which means "good" or "noble," to distinguish themselves from Island-Caribs. The Tainos were believed to be part of the migration from Northern South America. The Tainos were Amerindians who were diminished when the Europeans arrived due to diseases and intolerable treatment given by the Spaniards. By the 16th century the Tainos as a name were almost non-existent.

The Tainos were fishermen, farmers, or hunters. Their main sources of food focused on vegetables, meat, and fish. Tainos would eat small animals for instance; bats, earthworms, and turtles. They grew maize, squash, beans, and tobacco. The Tainos didn't acquire a written language but it's evident that they spoke a form of Arawak and used words like: tabaco (tobacco) and Huracan (hurricane). They functioned in a hierachial society. The Tainos were divided into three social classes: "nytainos" upper class, "naborias" laborers, "bohique" priest or medicine man. The Taino women were in charge of agricultural responsiblites and artificer jobs. The women could also become chiefs. They lived in towns called "yucayeques," each had its own chief.

The Tainos believed in a pantheon of gods headed by Yuchahu' whose counterpart was Jurac'an. They believed that the souls of the dead go to the underworld, and when night comes they take form of bats and eat fruit "guayaba". Also anthroplolgists emphasize on the fact that some or all of the Petwo Voodoo rites may have origin in Taino religion. The Tainos traditional background which embellished their festivity were held at the "areyto" which is a ritual dance for celebrating an event and transpiring beliefs within the group. Tainos would induce vomiting with a swallowing stick to serve as a physical and symbolic purging to get rid of the impurties of the body. There is an abudant amount of myths referring to the Taino's religious beliefs but the myth that was most intriguing to me was the one the Taino origin of the sea: A father found out that his son wanted to kill him so he killed his son and put the bones in a gourd. The son's bones turned into a fish and the gourd broke one day which so much water came out of it that it covered the whole earth with fish of all sizes. Today many people are trying to get recognition of being descendants of the Taino especially Puerto Ricans. The United Confederation of Taino People was established to review these many allegations.
Sources:
-"A Historical Overview of Colonial Puerto Rico: The Importance of San Juan as a Military Outpost."
-Vazquez, D. "Puerto Rican Folktales." Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1993/2/93.02.12.x.html
- "Taíno: Pre-Colombian Indigenous Amerindian Inhabitants." http://www.caribbeanmag.com/search/articles/Caribbean/Taino_caribbean.html