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Puerto Rico Emigration and Immigration (view source)
Revision as of 14:12, 15 May 2021
, 15 May 2021→French Immigration
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Emigration is a major part of contemporary Puerto Rican history. Starting soon after World War II, poverty, cheap airfares, and promotion by the island government caused waves of Puerto Ricans to move to the United States, particularly to the Northeastern states, and Florida. This trend continued even as Puerto Rico's economy improved and its birth rate declined. Puerto Ricans continue to follow a pattern of "circular migration", with some migrants returning to the island.<ref>"Puerto Rico", in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico#Immigration_and_emigration Wikipedia, accessed 15 May 2021.</ref> | Emigration is a major part of contemporary Puerto Rican history. Starting soon after World War II, poverty, cheap airfares, and promotion by the island government caused waves of Puerto Ricans to move to the United States, particularly to the Northeastern states, and Florida. This trend continued even as Puerto Rico's economy improved and its birth rate declined. Puerto Ricans continue to follow a pattern of "circular migration", with some migrants returning to the island.<ref>"Puerto Rico", in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico#Immigration_and_emigration Wikipedia, accessed 15 May 2021.</ref> | ||
====Spanish Immigration==== | |||
*At the beginning of the 16th century, the Spanish people began to colonize the island of Puerto Rico. | |||
*Despite the Laws of Burgos of 1512 and other decrees for the protection of the indigenous population, some Taíno Indians were forced into an encomienda system of forced labor in the early years of colonization. The population suffered extremely high fatalities from epidemics of European infectious diseases. In 1520, King Charles I of Spain issued a royal decree collectively emancipating the remaining Taíno population. By that time, the Taíno people were few in number. | |||
*Enslaved Africans had already begun to be imported to compensate for the native labor loss, but their numbers were proportionate to the diminished commercial interest Spain soon began to demonstrate for the island colony. | |||
====French Immigration==== | ====French Immigration==== | ||
*Today, the great number of Puerto Ricans of French ancestry are evident in the 19% of family surnames on the island that are of French origin. These are easily traceable to '''mainland France, French Louisiana émigrés, and other French colonies in the Caribbean.''' | *Today, the great number of Puerto Ricans of French ancestry are evident in the 19% of family surnames on the island that are of French origin. These are easily traceable to '''mainland France, French Louisiana émigrés, and other French colonies in the Caribbean.''' | ||
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*In 1796, the Spanish Crown ceded the western half of the island of Hispaniola to the French. The French named their part Saint-Domingue (which was later renamed '''Haiti'''). The French settlers dedicated themselves to the cultivation of the sugar cane and owned plantations, which required a huge amount of manpower. They enslaved and imported people from Africa to work in the fields. In 1791, the enslaved African people rebelled against the French in what is known as the Haitian Revolution. The French fled to '''Santo Domingo and made their way to Puerto Rico'''. Once there, they settled in the western region of the island in towns such as '''Mayagüez'''. With their expertise, they helped develop the island's sugar industry, converting Puerto Rico into a world leader in the exportation of sugar. | *In 1796, the Spanish Crown ceded the western half of the island of Hispaniola to the French. The French named their part Saint-Domingue (which was later renamed '''Haiti'''). The French settlers dedicated themselves to the cultivation of the sugar cane and owned plantations, which required a huge amount of manpower. They enslaved and imported people from Africa to work in the fields. In 1791, the enslaved African people rebelled against the French in what is known as the Haitian Revolution. The French fled to '''Santo Domingo and made their way to Puerto Rico'''. Once there, they settled in the western region of the island in towns such as '''Mayagüez'''. With their expertise, they helped develop the island's sugar industry, converting Puerto Rico into a world leader in the exportation of sugar. | ||
*In 1815, the Spanish Crown had issued a Royal Decree with the intention of encouraging more trade between Puerto Rico and other countries who were friendly towards Spain. The decree also free land to any Spaniard (and eventually French) who would be willing to settle on the island. Thousands of French and Corsican families (the Corsicans were French citizens of Italian descent) settled in Puerto Rico. The Corsicans (who had Italian surnames) settled the mountainous region in and around the towns of Adjuntas, Lares, Utuado, Guayanilla, Ponce and Yauco, where they became successful coffee plantation owners. The French who immigrated with them from mainland France also settled in various places in the island, mostly in the unsettled interior regions of the Island, which up to that point were virtually uninhabited.<ref>"French Immigration to Puerto Rico", in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_immigration_to_Puerto_Rico, accessed 1 May 2021.</ref> | *In 1815, the Spanish Crown had issued a Royal Decree with the intention of encouraging more trade between Puerto Rico and other countries who were friendly towards Spain. The decree also free land to any Spaniard (and eventually French) who would be willing to settle on the island. Thousands of French and Corsican families (the Corsicans were French citizens of Italian descent) settled in Puerto Rico. The Corsicans (who had Italian surnames) settled the mountainous region in and around the towns of Adjuntas, Lares, Utuado, Guayanilla, Ponce and Yauco, where they became successful coffee plantation owners. The French who immigrated with them from mainland France also settled in various places in the island, mostly in the unsettled interior regions of the Island, which up to that point were virtually uninhabited.<ref>"French Immigration to Puerto Rico", in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_immigration_to_Puerto_Rico, accessed 1 May 2021.</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:Puerto Rico]] | [[Category:Puerto Rico]] | ||