My Cultural Heritage By:Aaron Rodriguez Mr.Missel & Mr.D Period 3 Heritage, Diversity, Integrity and Honor

Table Of Contents: Environment Politics Economics Society And Culture

Environment

Politics

Economics

Society And Culture

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Q:What do you think of the economy in Puerto Rico compared to the U.S.? A:I think Puerto Rico is in a better state than the U.S. Q:What do you think of the environment compared to the U.S.? A: In Puerto Rico they have a lot more forest and we have a lot of buildings and constructions. Q:Are there any policies you think the U.S. should adopt? A:I don't know any that we don't have that they do. Q:Compared, which culture do you appreciate more? A:Puerto Rico's, theres a lot more music and fun. Interviewed my mom: Leonor Rodriguez

Name:Leonor Rodriguez Hometown:Perth Amboy NJ Job:Owner of Dry Cleaners Relation:Mother

Puerto Rico has 17 lakes, all man-made, and more than 50 rivers, most in the Cordillera Central.Rivers in the northern region of the island are typically longer and of higher water flow rates than those of the south, since the south receives less rain than the central and northern regions.

Located in the tropics, Puerto Rico has an average temperature of 82.4 F throughout the year. Temperatures do not change throughout the seasons. The temperature in the south is usually a few degrees higher than the north and temperatures in the central mountains are always cooler than the rest of the island. The Hurricane season spans from June to November. The all-time low in Puerto Rico has been 39 F.

Economic conditions have improved dramatically since the Great Depression because of external investment in capital-intensive industries such as petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and technology. Once the beneficiary of special tax treatment from the U.S. government, today local industries must compete with those in more economically depressed parts of the world where wages are not subject to U.S. minimum wage legislation. In recent years, some U.S. and foreign owned factories have moved to lower wage countries in Latin America and Asia. Puerto Rico is subject to U.S. trade laws and restrictions.

Tourism is an important component of Puerto Rican economy supplying an approximate $1.8 billion. In 1999, an estimated 5 million tourists visited the island, most from the U.S. Nearly a third of these are cruise ship passengers. A steady increase in hotel registrations since 1998 and the construction of new hotels and new tourism projects, such as the Puerto Rico Convention Center, indicate the current strength of the tourism industry.

The government of Puerto Rico, based on the formal republican system, is composed of three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. Theexecutive branch is headed by the Governor, currently Luis Fortuño. The legislative branch consists of a bicameral Legislative Assembly made up of a Senate upper chamber and a House of Representatives lower chamber. The Senate is headed by the President of the Senate, while the House of Representatives is headed by the Speaker of the House.

The judicial branch is headed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. The legal system is a mix of the civil law and thecommon law systems. The governor and legislators are elected by popular vote every four years. Members of the Judicial branch are appointed by the governor with the "advice and consent" of the Senate.

From the Spanish Puerto Rico received the Spanish language, the Catholic religion and the vast majority of their cultural and moral values and traditions. The United States added English language influence, the university system and the adoption of some holidays and practices. On March 12, 1903, University of Puerto Rico was officially founded, branching out from the "Escuela Normal Industrial", a smaller organism that was founded in Fajardo three years before.

Much of the Puerto Rican culture centers on the influence of music. Like the country as a whole, Puerto Rican music has been developed by mixing other cultures with local and traditional rhythms. Early in the history of Puerto Rican music, the influences of African and Spanish traditions were most noticeable. However, the cultural movements across the Caribbean and North America have played a vital role in the more recent musical influences that have reached Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico! It's really nice!