Puerto Rico

Size 3,515 square miles Idaho is 83,557 square miles

Land Features Regions Only 4% of the land can be used for farming Central= mountain range South= dry coast North= fertile coastal plain East= low mountains Only 4% of the land can be used for farming Coastal plains are densely populated

Regions Central= mountain range South= dry coast North= fertile coastal plain East= low mountains

Weather and Climate Mild tropical climate (warm and sunny) Rainy season is from May-December Average Temperatures are 70-80F Several destructive hurricanes have hit the island

A little bit of history… 1493: Columbus arrived and named the island San Juan Bautista 1508: colonization began Spanish introduced slavery and diseases that killed most of the native population 1513: started bringing African slaves 1898: US won the Spanish-American War and invaded Puerto Rico 1917: became an official territory of the United States 1952: became a commonwealth of the United States

Government Commonwealth of the United States Chief of state is the US President = Barack Obama Head of government is a locally elected governor= Luis Fortuno Do not vote or pay taxes in the United States Subject to the draft and they can receive welfare benefits

How the government works No representatives in the federal government. 28 seat senate 54 seat house of representatives

Being a Commonwealth Being a commonwealth means that the country is very similar to a state in the United States but the citizens cannot vote in American elections and they do not pay taxes. Puerto Ricans can visit the US without a passport. Puerto Ricans use the American money system. In 1951, the country adopted a constitution but they still have to follow the US laws too.

Being a Commonwealth Puerto Rico has authority over its internal affairs. United States controls: interstate trade, foreign relations and commerce, customs administration, control of air, land and sea, immigration and emigration, nationality and citizenship, currency, maritime laws, military service, military bases, army, navy and air force, declaration of war, constitutionality of laws, jurisdictions and legal procedures, treaties, radio and television--communications, agriculture, mining and minerals, highways, postal system; Social Security, and other areas generally controlled by the federal government in the United States. Puerto Rican institutions control internal affairs unless U.S. law is involved, as in matters of public health and pollution.

Economy Since WW2 and the new relationship with the United States the once poor country has greatly improved its economy 3% agriculture 20% manufacturing Government, tourism, and services provide most of the employment Unemployment rates are higher than the United States. Currency is the US Dollar

Education Education is highly valued Very similar to the US standards and K-12 system Have a low dropout rate

Culture

Population 3.96 million Most who live on the island have ancestry that originated on the island

Language Spanish and English are both used Spanish is more common for everyday language English is a required 2nd language in school Because of this Spanglish has emerged

Learn Some Spanish… http://www.123teachme.com/learn_spanish/spanish_vocabulary_for _children

Religion 85% Roman Catholic 15% Christian Generally religious people

Attitudes Sensitive people Quick to either give sympathy or resent Admire intelligence Dedicated Humble Have a relaxed concept of time

Appearance Take pride in clothing Sloppy or revealing is inappropriate Prefer lightweight clothing Jeans are popular Tennis shoes or sandals are common shoes

Customs Greet each other by grasping shoulders are kissing on the cheek In casual settings Spanish/English/Spanglish are all ok Waving to come with the palm facing up is rude Interrupting during conversations is ok Offers to join meals are declined at first to be polite

Food Staples include rice, beans, pork, beef, seafood, and fruits Packaged snacks are also common Dinner is the main meal of the day but it is a relaxed occasion

Recreation Baseball is the most popular sport Basketball and volleyball are also very common Enjoy spending time at the beach Card and board games are popular Popular dances; Salsa Samba

Music and Dance Samples https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvjJPCn7dKM Start at0:55 Stop at 3:20

Family Close knit and supportive Extended families usually live in the same neighborhoods Average 3 children per family Parents play a role in their children’s lives even after they are adults

Color the Flag

Dominoes Shuffle the deck of cards and deal each player 7 dominoes. Keep them hidden from the other players Whoever has the highest double value domino goes first Then you go in a circle placing ends with the same values together. If you do not have a domino you can play, you skip your turn. The game is over when someone runs out of dominoes or nobody can make a move anymore. Whoever has the least amount of dominoes left in there hand wins.