Puerto Ricans

**Puerto Rican**
Puertorriqueño
	File:RickyMartin.jpg; Notable Puerto Ricans:; Ricky Martin • Joseph M. Acaba • Jennifer Lopez; Luis Muñoz Rivera • José Celso Barbosa
Regions with significant populations
Puerto Rico (2004 est.)	3,900,000
United States (2004 est.)	3,800,000
Languages
	Spanish and English
Religion
	Roman Catholic, Protestantism,Santeria,Judaism,Islam
Related ethnic groups
	Other Spanish people, African people, Amerindians, Hispanics, Latinos and Mestizos

Puerto Rican refers to anyone who was born in, or whose ancestors are from, Puerto Rico. It can also refer to anything from Puerto Rico, such as Puerto Rican rums or Puerto Rican cuisine, however this article specifically refers to the use of this proper adjective when it refers to a person or people of Puerto Rican ancestry.

Puerto Ricans, who also commonly identify themselves as Boricua, are largely the descendants of native Taíno Indians, Europeans, African slaves or a blend of these groups which has produced a very multi-cultural and diversified population. The population of Puerto Ricans is estimated to be between 8 to 10 million worldwide, with most living within the islands of Puerto Rico and in the United States.

Ancestry

The original inhabitants of Puerto Rico are the Taíno Indians, the native people who inhabited the island of Puerto Rico at the time of the European colonization, called the island of Boriken. However, as in other parts of the North and South American continents, the native peoples soon diminished in number after the arrival of European settlers due almost entirely because Europeans brought with them Old World diseases completely foreign to the Americas until then, including measles, chicken pox, mumps, influenza and even the common cold, that the Amerindians had no natural/bodily defenses against;

in fact, it is estimated that 90-95% of all the indigenous inhabitants of the New World perished due to accidental contact and contamination with those Old World diseases while the 5-10% that survived were killed by warfare with each other and different European groups and/or died out due to low native birth rates and miscengenation with Europeans and both run-away slave and freed Africans (which was far more common in Latin America due to Spanish and Portuguese mercantillistic, colonial policies with lone, male conquistador/adventurer migrations for the purpose of pillaging to incease their nations' wealth, prestige, and power while spreading Christianity for the benefit of the natives, the church, and God, as opposed to parts of the Americas, where other European groups settled, where family migrations were encouraged for the purpose of colonization as a social/political safety valve for the nations from which they emigrated and for the creation and expansion of trade and commerce for the benefit of all interested parties involved).

These factors would prove detrimental for the Taínos in Puerto Rico and surrounding Caribbean islands, so much so that by the early 1500s, very few pure-blood Taínos existed on the island. However the University of Puerto Rico later discovered that over 60% of students tested contained Taino ancestry.^{[citation needed]} The Spanish quickly began to import Sub-Saharan African slaves to work in expanding the colonies in the Caribbean.

In the 16th century, a significant part of Puerto Rican culture began to take shape with the import of Sub-Saharan African slaves by the Spanish, as well as by the French, the British, the Dutch and the Portuguese.

Thousands of Spanish settlers also immigrated to Puerto Rico from the Canary Islands during the 18th and 19th centuries, so much so that whole Puerto Rican villages and towns were founded by Canarian immigrants, and their descendants would later form a majority of the Spanish population on the island.

These were followed by the arrival of Corsican immigrants along with smaller waves of French, Dutch, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Maltese, Portuguese (especially Azoreans) and German immigrants. In recent times, Puerto Rico has been the destination for immigrants from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, South America and Spain, as well from islands of the West Indies. In 1791, the slaves in Saint-Domingue (Haiti), revolted against their French masters. Many of the French escaped to Puerto Rico via the Dominican Republic and settled in the west coast of the island, especially in Mayagüez.

Puerto Rican Heritage

Ethnic Background

The European heritage of Puerto Ricans comes primarily from one source:

Spanish

Non-European dominant heritage:

Other European people who have contributed include:

People from the eastern world:

Much of the Puerto Rican population is of mixed descent and many have strong Amerindian and African ties which shows in their physical features. Racial mixing, even before abolition, was more common in Puerto Rico than in Cuba or the English and French colonies. In the mid 19th century, Spain revived the Royal Decree of Graces of 1815 which permitted the immigration of Italians (principally from Corsica), Germans, Irish, and the Chinese (who started arriving on the island as rail-road workers), settling mainly in the southern cities of Puerto Rico. A census conducted by royal decree on September 30, 1858, reveals the racial and national diversity among the Puerto Rican population at this time, with 300,430 identified as white, 341,015 as free-colored, and 141,736 as slaves. More recent arrivals include inhabitants from nearby islands, including a substantial population of Cuban immigrants after 1959, and within the past decade a wave of illegal immigrants from the Dominican Republic.

Puerto Ricans and the United States

File:PR Migration 1995-2000.jpg

Puerto Rican Migration Patterns, 1995-2000 (graphic by Angelo Falcón)

Given the relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States following the Spanish-American War in 1898, and the eventual transition from a Spanish Colony to a U.S. sovereignty (1898-1952) to a Commonwealth (1952-present), Puerto Ricans and Americans have migrated to and from Puerto Rico, providing additional cultural and racial diversity among the Puerto Rican community. Between 1899 and 1901, as many as 5,000 Puerto Ricans migrated to Hawaii in the aftermath of Hurricane San Ciriaco. Between the 1920s and 1960's, there was heavy migration from Puerto Rico to New York City in search of better economic conditions. In 1945, there were 13,000 Puerto Ricans living in New York City, but by 1955 there were 700,000, and by the mid-1960s there were over a million. Puerto Rican immigrants have since assimilated well into the New York City community and lifestyle, and are commonly referred to as Nuyoricans by New Yorkers, by Puerto Rico residents, and by the immigrants themselves. Recently, Puerto Ricans have migrated all across the U.S. from either Puerto Rico or from New York, especially to southern States such as Florida and western States such as California and Arizona.

U.S. residents have also migrated from the U.S. mainland to different parts of Puerto Rico, especially to the San Juan metro area and the southern portion of the island, mainly for tourism purposes and for business ventures, including in the financial, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical industries

Modern Puerto Rican identity and heritage

The Puerto Rico of today has come to form some of its own social customs, cultural matrix, historically-rooted traditions and its own unique pronunciation, vocabulary, and idiomatic expressions within the Spanish language. Even after the attempted assimilation of Puerto Rico into the United States in the early 20th century, the majority of the people of Puerto Rico feel pride in their nationality as "Puerto Ricans", regardless of the individual's particular racial, ethnic, political or economic background. Many Puerto Ricans are consciously aware of a blend of African, Caribbean/American Indian, and European ancestry. This diversity can be seen in the everyday lifestyle of many Puerto Ricans, such as the African and Taíno influences in the local food and arts (including dances, music, literature and visual works), and the profound European influences in Puerto Rico architecture.

In the 2000 U.S. Census Puerto Ricans were asked to identify which racial category with which they personally identify. 95.8% answered with only one choice. The breakdown is as follows: ^[1]. These figures demonstrate that racial terms are relative, not absolute, and highlight the potential for confusion when they are used in a definitive and distinct way. However, a 2003 U.S. National Science Foundation funded study that measured Puerto Rican ancestry through both patrilineal and matrilineal ancestry exposed a much more mixed ancestral heritage. About 95% of the population consider themselves to be Puerto Rican (regardless of race or skin color). Broad U.S. census categories allows the mixed ancestry of most Puerto Ricans to be officially acknowledged. For an example an American in Puerto Rico would choose if he/she is 'Hispanic' or 'Latino' then they would choose from the variety of races. for instance they can choose one or more of the following choices, white, black, or Amerindian/Native American. A 2003 U.S. National Science Foundation funded study measured Puerto Rican ancestry through both patrilineal and matrilineal ancestry. Matrilineal mtDNA ancestry revealed 67% of the 800 Puerto Ricans tested were shown to have a female Amerindian ancestor, 27% to have a female African ancestor and 12% to have a female European ancestor. Patrilineal Y chromosome, showed that 75% of all Puerto Ricans possessed a male European ancestor, 20% had a male African ancestor and less than 5% were shown to have had a male Amerindian ancestor. These combinations vary as Puerto Ricans can be of any variety of combined ancestries, as some self identify as "white", "black", or most commonly used "Puerto Rican". Native American (Arawak/Taino) or/and European ancestry are common among "black" Puerto Ricans after four centuries of intermarriage between the island's racial groups.

Boricua

Puerto Ricans often proudly identify themselves as Boricua, loosely based on Borincano (archaic), both words originating from the Taíno word Boriken (also known as Boriquén, Borinquen, or Borinquén), to illustrate their recognition of their Taíno heritage. The word Boriken, which translates to "the great land of the valiant and noble Lord",^[3] was used by the original Taíno Indian population to refer to the island of Puerto Rico before the arrival of the Spanish. The use of the word Boricua has been popularized in the island and abroad by descendents of Puerto Rico heritage, commonly using the phrase, "Yo soy Boricua" ("I am Boricua", or "I am Puerto Rican") to identify themselves as Puerto Ricans.

Language

Spanish is the predominant language among Puerto Ricans. However its vocabulary has expanded with many words and phrases coming from the African and Taíno influences of the island. Recently, its language has been influenced by Puerto Rico’s relationship with the United States by adding English words, pronunciation, and phrases to their vocabulary, creating a mixture of both languages known as Spanglish. Alternatively, when speaking in English, some Puerto Ricans have added several words and phrases creating a distinct version of English called Goleta English.

Religion

The great majority of Puerto Ricans are Christians, however there are certain Islamic and Jewish sectors in the island. Roman Catholicism has been the main religion among Puerto Ricans since the arrival of the Spanish in the 15th century, although the increasing presence of Santeria, Protestant, Latter-Day Saint (Mormon) and Jehovah's Witnesses denominations has increased under U.S. sovereignty, making modern Puerto Rico an inter-confessional community.

Political and international status

Since Puerto Rico is a territory and not an incorporated State of the United States of America, not all constitutional rights, privileges and immunities provided by the U.S. Constitution were extended to the island and its residents by the Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917. The Jones Act established that Puerto Ricans born prior to 1899 were considered naturalized citizens of Puerto Rico, and anyone born after 1898 were declared naturally-born citizens of the United States; unless the Puerto Rican expressed intentions to remain as a subject of Spain. Since 1917, all Puerto Ricans, whether born within the U.S. or in Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States.

Puerto Ricans residing in Puerto Rico cannot vote in the U.S. Presidential election, nor are they represented by a U.S. Representative or Senator. They are represented by a Resident Commissioner in the U.S. House of Representatives who has the right of voice, but not vote. Puerto Ricans residing in the United States, however, do have all rights and privileges associated with residing in a U.S. State.

As statutory U.S. citizens, Puerto Ricans may enlist in the U.S. military. Puerto Ricans have been included in the compulsory draft, when it has been in effect. Puerto Ricans have fully participated in all U.S. wars since 1898, most notably in World War II, in the Korean and Vietnam wars, and the current Middle-Eastern conflicts. Recently, nearly 60 Puerto Ricans have died serving in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

Notes

^ U.S. Census Annual Population Estimates 2000 to 2006
^ U.S. Census, The Hispanic Population in the United States: 2004 Detailed Tables, Section I, Table 1.2
^ Chief Pedro Guanikeyu Torres. "The Dictionary of the Taíno Language". Taino Inter-Tribal Council Inc. Retrieved February 11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)