Doris M. Vasquez
Puerto Rico will celebrate the five hundredth anniversary of its discovery in 1993. There are many activities, events, and celebrations being planned for this historical commemoration by the government of Puerto Rico and other civic organizations.
This unit gives a description of what the Spaniards found on the island in 1493, its inhabitants, and how and where they lived. The colonization and building of the first seven towns are discussed. These towns are: San Juan, San German, Aguada, Arecibo, Coamo, Loiza, and Ponce. These towns still have many of the Spanish architectural constructions in their original or restored state. There are churches, town squares (plazas), and government and private buildings which date back to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries still in use.
The unit will serve as cultural and historical enrichment in Spanish, Social Studies, and Bilingual classes at the junior and high school levels. Regular Spanish and Social Studies class students will learn about the culture and history of Puerto Rico and the students in the Bilingual Program will be able to relate to and reaffirm their cultural and historical roots.
(Recommended for Spanish, Social Studies and Bilingual Social Studies classes, grades 7-12)
Key Words
Bilingualism Spanish English General History Puerto Rican Hispanic Language Instruction
