Portal:Puerto Rico/Did you know
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Did You Know - Puerto Rico is a list that contains interesting but, little known facts about Puerto Rico and its people. A portion of these facts will be displayed in the Puerto Rico article under the Did You Know? section. Please add new facts at the bottom of the page.
- That there are more Puerto Ricans in the United States than in Puerto Rico?
- That the first shot fired by the United States in World War I was in Puerto Rico and not in Europe? It was fired by Lt. Teofilo Marxuach.
- That the first opera in history to be recorded was Pagliacci by Ruggiero Leoncavallo and that the recording was made by tenor Antonio Paoli in 1907?
- That Puerto Rico once had a President? His name was Francisco Ramirez Medina.
- That the largest single-aperture telescope ever to be constructed is the Arecibo Observatory located near the city by the same name in Puerto Rico?
- That Major General Luis R. Esteves, the first Puerto Rican to graduate from West Point, graduated first in his class, a class that included Dwight D. Eisenhower (future President) and Omar Bradley?
- That Puerto Ricans fought alongside the Continental Army during the American Revolution, under the command of General Bernardo de Gálvez?
- That "Why Do Fools Fall in Love", considered one of the greatest Rock and Roll songs, was written by Herman Santiago?
- That besides Generals Eisenhower, Bradley, Patton and MacArthur, there was a Lt. General Pedro del Valle who played an important role during World War II?
- That the Father of Black History was Arturo Schomburg?
- That Café Rico is the Official Coffee of the Vatican?
- That Telemundo, the second largest Spanish language television station in the United States, was founded by Angel Ramos in Puerto Rico?
- That the island of Puerto Rico was originally baptized as San Juan Bautista (Saint John Baptist), whose capital was Puerto Rico? That with the years, the names of the island and the capital interchanged, and San Juan Bautista passed to be the capital and Puerto Rico the island?
- That the Commander of the Cuban Liberation Army, General Juan Rius Rivera, was a Puerto Rican who also participated in the Grito de Lares revolt?
- That the 65th Infantry Regiment was recognized as a World War II liberating unit by the U.S. Army's Center of Military History and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1994?
- That in 1596, Sir Francis Drake, the famed British Admiral who defeated the Spanish Armada, was defeated twice in his attempts to take San Juan and that he died of dysentry while attacking the island?
- That the old lighthouse at Isla de Mona was designed by Gustave Eiffel?
- That the world famous drink, the Piña Colada was invented in Puerto Rico and that its' main ingredient Coco Lopez was invented by Ramon Lopez Irizarry?
- That youngest person ever to have won a world boxing championship is Wilfred Benitez?
- That Rafael Hernandez airport in Aguadilla has the Caribbean's longest runway?
- That John Ruiz, a Puerto Rican, was the first Hispanic world Heavyweight boxing champion?
- That Sergeant Alexander Joseph Foley (U.S.M.C.), born in Hackersville, Pa. in 1866 and recipient of the Medal of Honor during the Boxer Rebellion is buried in the island municipality of Culebra?
- That the Cathedral of San Juan, Puerto Rico, built in 1520, is the oldest in the Western Hemisphere and that it contains the marble tomb of the island's first governor and discoverer of Florida Juan Ponce de León?
- That Brigadier General Antonio Valero de Bernabe, who fought against Napoleon Bonaparte in Spain and later for Mexico's independence against Spain, helped liberate South America from Spanish Colonial rule alongside Simon Bolivar?
- That San Felipe del Morro Castle (Fortress) was designated a world-class historic site such as the Taj Mahal, by the United Nations and a National Historical site by the United States?
- That San Juan is the largest home-based cruise port in the world?
- That La Fortaleza in San Juan is the oldest executive mansion in the New World?
- That the Puerto Rican Coat of Arms is the oldest official national seal still used in the Americas?
- That the Camuy River is the third longest underwater river in the world?
- That the bronze statue of Juan Ponce de León in the center of the Plaza de San Juan was made from British cannons captured during Sir Ralph Abercromby's attack in 1797?
- That José Miguel Agrelot's radio show, Alegre Despertar (Joyful Awakening), held the world's record for the longest running still active radio show, running non-stop for 53 years?
- That in 1919, Luisa Capetillo was the first woman to publicly wear pants in Puerto Rico and that she was sent to jail for it?
- That the Puerto Rican Spindalis is the national bird of Puerto Rico and often participates in mobbing, a behavior in which it attacks predators to defend hatchlings?
- That Puerto Rico ranks 6th in the world when it comes to college graduates?
- That Puerto Rico's beaches come in every size, color, and form, from the pure white dunes of Isabela to the black volcanic sands near Punta Santiago?
- That Old San Juan has more than four hundred carefully restored 16th and 17th century Spanish colonial buildings?
- That the worlds highest concentrations of Bioluminescent waters are around Puerto Rico?
- That the medical term "Menuditis", a diagnosis for girls who need medical attention after attending a concert, came about after Menudo {considered as Puerto Rico's most popular boy band) gave a concert?
- That Gothic churches are rare in the New World, but that Puerto Rico has two: Porta Coeli, built in 1606 in San German, and Iglesia San Jose, built in the 1530's in Old San Juan?
- That The Caribbean National Forest, El Yunque Rainforest, is the only rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System and that more than a billion gallons of precipitation fall each year?
- That the Elfin-woods Warbler, an endemic bird of Puerto Rico first observed in 1968, is the last New World warbler to be discovered?
- That Plaza Las Americas mall in San Juan is the most profitable mall by square foot in the world ?
- That the busiest and highest grossing Radio Shack store in the world is in Puerto Rico, located in Plaza Las Americas mall ?
- That the biggest JC Penney in the world is located in Plaza Las Americas mall in Puerto Rico ?
- That after the United States , Puerto Rico is tied with Mexico as the country that has hosted the most Miss Universe contests (total of 3) and the one that has won the most times after the United States (with a total of 5)?
- That the Mita Religion is the first Protestant religion of Puerto Rican origin and that it was founded by Juanita Garcia Peraza a.k.a. "Mita" ?
- That Puerto Rico is the World Capital of Rum
- That Puerto Rico is the 3rd country in the World with the most boxing champions in History, after the United States and Mexico?
- That the first non-Roman Catholic Church established in the Spanish Colonies was the Anglican Church "Iglesia Santisima Trinidad" founded in 1872 by German settlers in Ponce?
- That world renowned religious minister and member of the Honorary Committee of The Presidential Prayer Team, Rev. Nicky Cruz was the leader of a notorious New York City street gang called The Mau Maus?
- That in the classic film West Side Story, an epic Romeo and Juliet tale about the rivalry between a Puerto Rican and Anglo gang, the only actual Puerto Rican casted was Rita Moreno?
- That the public display of the Puerto Rican Flag was considered a felony and that anyone who did so could end up in jail? This was the case from the years 1892 to 1954.
- That there once was a Puerto Rican citizenship? Yes, every Puerto Rican born between December 10, 1898, after the United States and Spain signed the Treaty of Paris and March 2, 1917 when the Jones Act was signed into law by United States President Woodrow Wilson, was a Puerto Rican citizen. Natives of Spain or the Spanish peninsula then residing in Puerto Rico were permitted to retain Spanish allegiance by declaration on or before April 11, 1900, and, failing this action, they became United States nationals on ratification date, and Puerto Rican citizens on April 12, 1900.
- That Humbert Roque Versace, was the first Army P.O.W. to receive the Medal of Honor for his actions in Southeast Asia during captivity?
- That the mother of Humbert Roque Versace, Medal of Honor recipient, Marie Teresa Rios was the author of the book on which the popular 1960's television sitcom The Flying Nun was based on?
- That Dick Versace is the first person of Puerto Rican descent and for that matter, the first Hispanic to become head coach of an NBA team?
- That Tech4 Carmen Contreras-Bozak, was the first Hispanic to join the WAC's and that she served in Algiers during World War II?
- That the winning pitcher in the first ever Major League Baseball game played west of Kansas City was Rubén Gómez?
- That Admiral Horacio Rivero, Jr. was the first Hispanic to become a four-star Admiral in the U.S. Navy?
- That the dentist who discovered the bacteria which causes dental caries was Dr. Fernando E. Rodriguez Vargas, a native of Adjuntas, Puerto Rico?
- That ninety-five members of Puerto Rico's famed 65th Infantry were court martialed, in what is considered the largest mass court martial of the Korean War?
- That Felisa Rincón de Gautier (also known as Doña Fela) was the first woman to be elected as the mayor of a capital city in any of The Americas?
- That Jesus T. Piñero was not the first native Puerto Rican governor of Puerto Rico? That honor belongs to Juan Ponce de Leon II who in 1597 became the first native Puerto Rican to assume, temporarily, the governorship of Puerto Rico.
- That reggaeton was invented in Puerto Rico and has since then spread to other places in the world?
- That aside from Music, Sports, Literature, politics, TV, Radio, etc... Puerto Rico is also present in the voice acting industry with Tony Oliver being the first, if not then one of the few Voice Actors currently working in California?
- That Sergeant First Class Agustin Ramos Calero born in Isabela, Puerto Rico, was the second most decorated soldier (the most decorated U.S. soldier was Audie Murphy) in the United States military during World War II?
