The weather in Puerto Rico is very warm. It is very warm because this country is close to the equator. This is a very good area for a hurricane to happen because to the west of Puerto Rico there is a very big stretch of ocean and the moisture from the ocean catches with the high winds that fly over the ocean and it just causes a big mess and usually causes a hurricane. Hurricanes have very fast winds and usually contain a lot of moisture and a lot of rain. The very fast winds are what causes buildings and debris to go flying through the air. But in this story the author describes the debris to be fruit flying through the air. The author is warning the readers to watch for flying fruit if you get caught in a hurricane. There is a big hurricane
OUTLINE I. Introduction a. Should Puerto Rico become America's 51st state? b. Many politicians have different views on what Puerto Rico should do. Should the island become a State, stay a Commonwealth, or become independent? Either way, it would benefit the island.
By tracing the roots of Puerto Rican development from the Spanish invasion to today, one can see the influence of the dominant power in the interaction between different races of Puerto Rico, effecting how they viewed each other, and themselves. Isabel’s family, which is composed of Spanish and Corsican immigrants, reflects the attitudes that helped form Puerto Rican racial divisions. While she speaks from the point of view of a member of the upper class, there is a great deal of history behind the attitudes that influence the House on the Lagoon that she only lightly touches upon. Although Puerto Rican society has been racially mixed, issues such as class, imperialism, and outside prejudices have created a split between the different races.
Jesus Colon, in “How to Know the Puerto Ricans,” makes a statement that I believe explains and articulates the effect centuries of exploitation has had on Puerto Rico, and on the identity of Puerto Ricans. He writes, “So when you come to knock at the door of a Puerto Rican home you will be encountered by this feeling in the Puerto Rican-sometimes unconscious in himself-of having been taken for a ride for centuries.”(Santiago, 71) This assertion is appropriate and logical in the sense that Puerto Rico was invaded, ruled, and exploited by the Spaniards from 1508 until July 1898 when the Spanish flag was lowered and the United States began its invasion. With the exclusion of the aristocrats, who were either directly from Spain or criollos , there was complete oppression in Puerto Rico during the time it was a Spanish colony. The history of Puerto Rico under Spanish rule is useful in understanding the formation of Puerto Rican identity and in understanding some of the literature written by Puerto Ricans regarding issues of identity.
Puerto Rico spent most of its history under the control of Spain. In the year 1898, the islanders wanted their freedom and welcomed the U.S. invaders as their last hope of liberation from Spanish control. The United States brought the promise of democracy to Puerto Rico, but its true intentions did not include letting go of the island. Although the United States claimed that its intentions were to civilize Puerto Rico and help it become a democratic society, its hypocritical manner of dealing with the island had a great impact on Puerto Rican development. The early years of U.S. colonization affected many aspects of Puerto Rico, including economics, politics, and social relations.
For most of its history, Puerto Rico has been controlled by an outside power, and its people oppressed. While Puerto Rico is currently a U.S. territory, Spanish colonialism has had a significant impact on the island’s development and identity. The history of the island itself is proof of this fact, demonstrating each step Puerto Rico took to reach its current state. By examining the stages of Spanish control that Puerto Rico experienced, we can determine how each stage affected the structure and identity of Puerto Rico.
Upon continuing the discussion of what it means to be Puerto Rican, it is clear that the early US colonial rule fundamentally shaped the character of this definition. At the conclusion of the Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico became a possession of the United States subject only to the privileges that the US was willing to grant it. The dichotomy between Puerto Rico’s expectations and what it actually became after 1898, helped to formulate elite definitions of what it meant to be Puerto Rican. This new Puerto Rican identity, which was in large part based upon historical myths, served as defense mechanisms to combat the elite’s dissatisfaction with the new political, social and economic relationships under US rule. Although Puerto Rico under early US colonial rule never met the elites’ expectations, this new emerging nationalist identity never served as an effective challenge to US capitalist hegemony.
To argue on Puerto Rican Independence, Commonwealth, or Statehood, we must first learn of the history of Puerto Rico. Growing up I was very ignorant about Puerto Rico. It wasn’t till I was in the Navy and got stationed in Puerto Rico did I really find out the small Caribbean island. Although Puerto Rico has an extensive history, I will only give a brief synopsis of it: In November 1493 Christopher Columbus discovered the island of Puerto Rico for the country of Spain. It remained a colonization of Spain until 1898 when Spain ceded the island to the United States after the Spanish-American war. In 1917 Puerto Rican’s became U.S. Citizens, but only 24% consider themselves as American (2000 census). Puerto Rico was also granted its own government and constitution, however, it had to be approved by the U.S. congress. Also Puerto Rico must obey our federal laws. In 1952 Puerto Rico became a “Commonwealth” associated with the United States. Puerto Rico does not pay any federal income tax and yet still receive federal benefits. To make for this, they cannot vote in presidential elections and have no voting representation in congress.
Hurricanes are born over the warm waters of tropical oceans and are formed by a low-pressure system caused by the heating of water. The heat causes the air to rise and form lower pressures in a feedback loop, making the hurricane stronger. Heavy rain results from a condensation of water and strong winds develop from warm air rushing to the eye of the hurricane. Essentially, greater storms and winds occur when the hurricane feeds of the rising temperature of the water. In addition, researchers studied disturbances and intense thunderstorms in the atmosphere over Western Africa and believe they are partly to blame for extreme hurricanes affecting the United States and Canada. While these are all the main ingredients of a perfectly natural process, they were not the primary causes of the damage done by Hurricane
which is a predominantly Hispanic area of the city. I myself am also a Roman
To Americans Puerto Rico is an island destination where they can relax on the beach. In reality, Puerto Rico has deep social problems that have been hidden by tourism. It is easy to see pictures of magnificent beaches and assume the whole island is as beautiful and picturesque as that beach. There is no arguing that Puerto Rico is an incredible place with a thriving culture the disregard of its problems has created an American population that knows nothing of its commonwealth neighbor. The Rum Diary by director Bruce Robinson explores these issues, especially transparency regarding social ills. In the movie, Johnny Depp’s character, Paul Kemp is a freelance journalist who is only allowed to write about tourist life even though he wants to write about the poverty of San Juan. The film portrays the disconnect between American tourists and the local community. The way Puerto Rico is portrayed in the media and in entertainment is one sided, and that is the side that appeals to the public. No one wants to taint paradise with corruption. That is similar to many resort countries where tourists only know what they see within the confines of their hotel. That is unfortunate because serious issues need to be known especially since Puerto Rico is an American commonwealth that deserves the same opportunities that are available in America. In this essay I will use The Rum Diary to support the argument that American intervention and the media’s portrayal of Puerto Rico as a tourist destination has covered up deep social problems, which tourism has perpetuated.
Although Puerto Rico is a beautiful place it is a highly expensive place to live. The cost of living in Puerto Rico has increased a great amount over the past decade. San Juan's, in particular, is higher than Atlanta, Dallas, and Seattle but lower than Boston, Chicago, and New York City. One factor is housing prices which comparable to Miami and Los Angeles, although property taxes are considerably lower than most places in the United States.
Every holiday is celebrated very differently in each country. This country has many different dishes. The decorations from puerto rico are similar to the decorations here in america. Three kings day, this holiday represents the height of the Christmas season. The date marks the culmination of the twelve days of Christmas and commemorates the three wise men who traveled from afar, bearing gifts for the infant baby Jesus. Most of their traditions are very similar to ours overall.
Tropical waters serve as the perfect breeding and growing place for a hurricane. Storms, such as Katrina, are able to develop because of the availability of water vapor over tropical oceans. This creates the ideal environment for the growth of a hurricane (Ahrens & Sampson, 2011).
Residents of Puerto Rico received devastating winds and rainfall because of Hurricane Maria in 2017. Those affected range from ages as young as babies and to the elderly, including every age in between. Most homes and buildings were demolished throughout the duration of the hurricane. Even in the early months of 2018, these citizens of Puerto Rico still call for aid.
In the hurricane the mixture of the water and winds can be extremely damaging. The winds are extremely dangerous and usually don’t go faster than about 75 miles per hour but have been documented to go as fast as 85 miles per hour. Due to the fact that hurricanes need water to survive they cannot go too far on land, but that does not stop them from causing billions of dollars in damages. Hurricanes are so dangerous that they were listed number 1 on the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Hazard and Disasters list.