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. Please add new facts at the bottom of the page.

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?^[1]
That Puerto Rico once had declared a President? His name was Francisco Ramirez Medina Medina who participated in "El Grito de Lares" was named President of the "Republic of Puerto Rico" on September 28, 1868.
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 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 along with Generals Eisenhower, Bradley, Patton and MacArthur, Lt. General Pedro del Valle 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 christened as San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist), whose capital was called Puerto Rico? That over the years, the names of the island and the capital were exchanged, and San Juan Bautista became the name of the capital while Puerto Rico became the name of 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 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 a house on Fortaleza Street in Old San Juan, 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 used to be the Ramey Air Force Base and that it 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 the 1520s, is one of the oldest Cathedrals 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 Fort San Felipe del Morro was designated a World Heritage Site (a list that includes sites such as the Taj Mahal) by the United Nations in 1983, 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?

Statue of Juan Ponce de Leon

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 in 2003 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?^{[citation needed]}
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?^[2]
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 in 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 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 species to be discovered?
That the Plaza Las Americas mall in San Juan is the most profitable mall per square foot in the world?
That the busiest and highest grossing Radio Shack store in the world is in Puerto Rico, located in the Plaza Las Americas mall?^[3]
That the biggest JC Penney in the world is located in Plaza Las Americas mall in Puerto Rico?^[3]
That after the United States, Puerto Rico is tied with Mexico in hosting the most Miss Universe contests and has the second most titleholders following the United States?
That the Mita Religion is the first Protestant religion of Puerto Rican origin and that it was founded by Juanita Garcia Peraza?
That Puerto Rico is the World Capital of Rum, and more than 80 percent^{[citation needed]} of the rum consumed in the United States comes from Puerto Rico?
That Puerto Rico ranks third in the world with the most boxing champions in history, after the United States and Mexico?

Iglesia Santísima Trinidad of Ponce

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?^[4]
That world renowned religious minister and member of the Honorary Committee of The Presidential Prayer Team, Rev. Nicky Cruz was once 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-American gang, the only actual Puerto Rican casted was Rita Moreno?

Puerto Rican Flag (1892 version)

That the public display of the Puerto Rican Flag was once considered a felony (from 1892 to 1954) and that anyone who did so could end up in jail?
That there once was a Puerto Rican citizenship? 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. ^[5]
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 Medal of Honor recipient Humbert Roque Versace, Marie Teresa Rios was the author of the book The Fifteen Pelican for 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 the first Hispanic to become head coach of an NBA team?
That Tech4 Carmen Contreras-Bozak, was the first Hispanic to join the Women's Army Corps 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 that causes dental caries was Dr. Fernando E. Rodriguez Vargas, a native of Adjuntas?
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 the reggaeton was invented in Puerto Rico and has since then spread to other places around the world?
That aside from a strong prescence in music, sports, literature, politics, television, radio, etc., Puerto Rico also has a presence in the voice acting industry with voice actors such as Tony Oliver?
That Sergeant First Class Agustin Ramos Calero born in Isabela, was the second most decorated soldier (after Audie Murphy) in the United States military during World War II?
That there are more Puerto Ricans living in the rest of the United States than in the island of Puerto Rico itself?
That Puerto Rico is not an independent country ^[6], but is rather a Commonwealth of the United States?
That Puerto Rico has never been an independent country ^[6]?
That travel within the United States includes Puerto Rico and no U.S. passport is necessary?
That Puerto Rico has been a territory of the United States since 1898?
That Puerto Rico met the requirements to be defined a nation well before the Pilgrims came to the United States?
That Puerto Rico has never had a civil war?
That Puerto Rico had official coins minted and in circulation in 1898, and that extant samples of these coins in pristine condition are extremely valuable?
That Antonia Novello, a native of Fajardo, Puerto Rico, was both the first female and the first Hispanic Surgeon General of the United States (1990-1993)?
That the holder of the current Guinness Record for the World's Smallest Jet is a native of Puerto Rico?^[7]
That the Puerto Rico Trench, roughly parallel to the island and 75 miles north, is home to the deepest submarine depression in the North Atlantic Ocean, and that the deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean, the Milwaukee Depth (27,493 ft / 8,380 m), lies within the trench?
That by mutual agreement with Congress, Puerto Rico is an independent taxation authority, and therefore Puerto Rico residents do not pay federal income taxes, and instead pay income taxes to the local taxation authority?^[8]
That the Caribbean National Forest in Puerto Rico is one of the oldest protected areas in the Western Hemisphere by virtue of having been set aside by the Spanish Crown in 1876 while Puerto Rico was still part of the Spanish Empire?
That as of 2003, twenty-five percent of all pharmaceutical products manufactured in the United States were shipped from Puerto Rico, and sixteen of the top twenty best selling prescription drugs in the United States were produced on the island?^[9]
That Puerto Rico enjoys one of the planet's highest productivity ratios? Value-added in manufacturing on the island totals $10.02 for every dollar of production worker wages, more than double the mainland US averageof $4.64.^[10]
That the profit-to-sales ratio for manufacturing in Puerto Rico has been measured at 34.8 percent, close to seven times higher than the ratio for the mainland United States of 4.8 percent for the same period?^{[citation needed]}
That more than 200 Puerto Rican baseball players have played in the US Major Leagues?^{[citation needed]}
That over 53,000 Puerto Ricans served in World War II? See:Puerto Ricans in World War II.

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Portal:Puerto Rico/Did you know

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