Relacion de Puerto Rico, 1582
In 1578, and as a direct response to the reforms imposed by the Ordenanzas of 1573, King Philip II, authorized the creation of a printed questionnaire. Distributed throughout American soil, the answers to this interrogatory, or Relaciones Geográficas de América constitute on of the most solid sources of information on the lifestyle and conditions of the settlements in América during this period of time. For example, in the Relación de San Juan de Puerto Rico, the Bachiller de Santa Clara and Juan Ponce de León II clearly discuss how medicinal practices native to the island are utilized in the mainland.
The questionnaire to the Relaciones is thought to have been authored by Juan López de Velasco, the first cosmographer-chronist, the Relaciones Geográficas are considered by many to be the first statistical study . Because of the quantitative nature of the format in which they were compiled, the value of the information these sources provide us with continues to grow with the passage of time. In this application I have included a sample of six of the Relaciones. The transcriptions of the responses to the Questionnaire are: Caracas, Venezuela; Huaxutla, México; San Juan, Puerto Rico; El Tocuyo, Venezuela; Xonotla, México and Zimapán, México
Complimentary to the Relaciones is the Questionnaire for the Observation of the Lunar Eclipse, a printed questionnaire that also contains the instructions for building an instrument to measure the results of the eclipse. This inquiry was also managed by Velasco and is believed to have been the first organized, joint, scientific endeavor between scientists in the new continent and the old world.
With the instruments, techniques, philosophy, and the thirst for quantifiable data about the environment , 16th Century european scientists saw the american continent as a giant laboratory. At the same time, through a process of information exchange generated partly through reports such as the Relaciones Geográficas, scientific knowledge specific to the native cultures of America found its way to the old continent. Therefore, it could be said that in the 16th Century, science forged a communications structure between the two continents.
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The Taino Race is Far From Extinct
Dr. Juan Martinez Cruzado, a geneticist from the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez designed an island-wide DNA survey, The study funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, shows that 61 percent of all Puerto Ricans have Amerindian mitochondrial DNA, 27 percent have African and 12 percent Caucasian. (Nuclear DNA, or the genetic material present in a gene's nucleus, is inherited in equal parts from one's father and mother.
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Taínos
Imagine the "Eden" called Borikén. It was ruled by nature. A place that was almost completely a rain forest from shore to shore. A place filled with yagrumos, alelís, ceibas, orchids, wild mushrooms - some over 6 feet wide, over 100 species of palm trees, bamboo, elephant ear leaves of the yautía, giant philodendron, giant ferns, mamey and guava trees. A place where wildlife such as cangrejos, manatees, giant sea turtles, iguanas, cotorras, and carpinteros lived undisturbed by man.
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History of Puerta Tierra
El Comienzo
Un Villorrio indígena
Antes de la conquista de la Isla por los españoles, y en el sitio actualmente destinado a los cuarteles de la Guardia Nacional, en Puerta de Tierra, estuvo enclavada una aldehuela indígena, o lo que es más probable, una estación de pesca.
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Primero Iglesia Bautista de Puerta Tierra
Originalmente la iglesia se estableció en la calle San Francisco del viejo San Juan, las facilidades estaban ubicadas frente a la plaza de La Barandilla. En el 1910 ya la iglesia se había movido a la calle San Agustín en Puerta de Tierra. En el 1919, la American Baptist Society compró los terrenos ubicados en la avenida Juan Ponce de León y el mismo año se inició la construcción del templo.
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El Archivo General de Puerto Rico
El Archivo General de Puerto Rico es la institución que por disposición de la Ley Número 5, aprobada el 8 de diciembre de 1955, "Para establecer un Programa de Conservación y Disposición de Documentos Públicos", funge como depositario oficial de todo documento público a él transferido por virtud de la mencionada Ley. Está adscrito al Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña y es en la actualidad el mayor repositorio de documentos históricos en la Isla.
Archivo General de Puerto Rico
Instituto de Cultura
PO Box 9024184
San Juan, PR 00902-4184
1.787.722.2113
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