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Puerto Rico

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Puerto Rico The HISTORY of PUERTO RICO Christopher Columbus discovered Puerto Rico in 1493. He found that the island contained about 50,000 Taino and Arawak indians. The Taino made the mistake of taking Christopher Columbus and his discovers to the rivers and showing him the gold, and then telling him he could have all that he wanted. On August 12, 1508 Juan Ponce de Leon, a soldier who had traveled with Columbus in 1493, invaded Puerto Rico with a small army of soldiers and became Puerto Rico's first governor. The Spanish then took advantage of the gold and then forced the Taino indians to work for free, as slaves until later several spanish priests protested against the slavery. The spanish were then supposed to pay the indians and teach them Christian religion. Yet the indians were still forced to work from dusk till dawn under threat of corporal punishment and death. During the slavery many Taino Indians Killed their children and committed suicide due to the forced slavery upon them.In 1511 the Taino indians revolted against the spanish but were unsuccessful. By then Agriculture was becoming a big role in the islands economy and the spanish were also starting to import slaves due to the declined number of Taino indians. In 1570 gold mines were declared depleted and farming for sugar cane became the main focus of Puerto Ricos economic activities. In 1900 the island was surrendered to the United States Military. On April 2, 1900 the Foraker law, was approved which established civil government and free commerce between Puerto Rico and the US. Upon 1917 the Jones act was signed and Puerto Rico became a U.S. territory and it was granted a bill of rights and many other rights. Through out the rest of the 1900s the United States held Puerto Ricos hand and guided them to be a more organized and stable Country.

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History of Music The HISTORY of The MusicLatin music is the result of a complex social and historical process that took place in the Americas after the arrival of the Spanish settlers. As a result of Columbus killing off the Taino Indians and importing African slave laborers to work, the influence of African rhythms on the music of Puerto Rico is profound. Spanish settlers who lived in the highlands and were known as 'jibaros'. They engaged in small farming and did not require the employment of slaves. Thus the highlands represent and retain the strongest ties to its Spanish roots. The lowlands, especially around the major coastal cities had a need for a large labor force. Iit was here that the largest concentration of African slaves grew and the strongest Afro-Puerto Rican elements of the developed. Between WWI and the 1950s, musiciansfrom Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico and South America came to New York to perform. They brought their own native rhythms and musical forms with them. As they listened and played together, the musical influences mixed, fused and evolved. The major type of music coming out of Puerto Rico is salsa, the rhythm of the islands. Its name literally translated as the "sauce" that makes parties happen. It draws from the Cuban and the African-Caribbean experience. Tito Puente is often credited with setting the stage for the 1960s and salsa.Although debated over salsas date of birth is the 1960s and birth place is New York, New York. But by 1975, salsa was becoming a very vague term as it was transformed and recreated. Two other music associated with Puerto Rico and salsa are the Plena and the Bomba. Plena is the music of southwestern Puerto Rico. Its lyrics provide information about contemporary events claiming its nickname el periodico cantao (the sung newspaper). The bomba is associated with the Northern area of the island around the city of San Juan. Bomba music an ddance were performed by the slave d population and resound with the rhythms of Africa, making it of pure African origin. The last portian of Puertorican music is of the current to the 19th and 20th century, it is Lain pop and rap.Puerto Rico maintains a thriving pop scene, with local artists adopting and adapting international trends. It was a prime center when Latin rap when it was born in the 1980s.Some Facts: One of Puerto Rico's notable exports is its music, which is probably the predominant Caribbean music heard in the United States.In Puerto Rico salsa is also known as "guaguanco", a term that originally referred to a kind of rumba dance.In the 1930s, Spanish-Cuban bandleader Xavier Cugat was for Latin music what the Beatles were for rock music: his orchestra created the commercial version of Latin music (largely devoid of artistic value but hugely popular) for the western masses.During the 1980s, Puerto Rican artistes were central to salsa developments, with the creation of the new salsa-romantica style.This type of musical hybridization gave birth to the 1950s creation of the mambo from son, conjunto and jazz traditions. Continuing musical fusion went on to include what we know today as the cha cha cha, rhumba, conga and, in the 1960s, salsa.Portuguese came to define the music from Brazil; Spanish language defined the rest of Latin America. The African influence in Latin music is so big that this could be the single most important element in Latin music history.Samba, Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Timba, are just some of the rhythms that have been shaped by African beats.the development of Jazz had a tremendous impact in the making of Latin music rhythms such as Mambo, Bossa Nova, and Latin Jazz. Latin music is a complex phenomenon that reflects the complex history of Latin America, a mixed region whose social environment has forged some of the most beautiful sounds in the worldPuerto Rico was the home of the Taino Indians who called it Borinquen (Island of the Brave Lord).Puerto Ricos national anthem is called 'La Borinquena after the Taino place name.Their music is often compared to our hillbilly folk music (although they sound nothing alike).The 'aguinaldo' or Christmas offering is based on an old form of Spanish Christmas carol. The 'seis', which literally means 'six' is, in fact, a great number of different tune types, or melodic motifs each of which can then be used as the basis for sung poetic improvisation.What is interesting about the performance of the 'seis' in Puerto Rico is that most are named after a particular town on the island. Thus we have the 'Seis de Andino', the 'Enramada', named for the town of Ramos, the Seis del Dorado, named for El Dorado, etc.The 1950s were the era of the Mambo Kings.A key event in 1967 was the meeting between Puertorican vocalist Ismael Miranda (then still a teenager) and the orchestra of New York's pianist Larry Harlow, best documented on Abran Paso (1970). They revitalized the Cuban sound for the audience of rock music. Originally, these instruments were intended to recreate the music that was played in Europe. However, they soon became the ideal tools to express the feelings of the new inhabitants that were defining the roots of Latin America.Some remnants fof the Taino culture may survive as in the use of the maracasIf Cuba is the key creative source of Latin Caribbean music, Puerto Rico is its equal as a supplier of performersThe foundations of post-war Latin music were laid by this generation. Cuban pianist Jose Curbelo played with Cugat and raised Ernesto "Tito" Puente, Ray Barretto and Pablo "Tito" Rodriguez, who raised Eddie Palmieri. American singer Frank "Machito" Grillo played with Cugat and Norales, and then raised Puente. In 1973 the North-American son was renamed "salsa" for a TV special

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Instruments The Kinds: •Bombardino: The bombardino is closely related to the baritone tuba and looks like a smaller version of its brass cousin. Because of its smaller size, the bombardino is one octave higher than the tuba, but below the trumpet and horn. In Puerto Rican music, the bombardino is used mostly in the danza genre of music.•Bongos: Derived from African roots, the bongos are a pair of small drums of unequal sizes that are joined together. The larger of the two drums is called the "female," or major drum, while the smaller drum is known as the "male," or minor. The bongos have been an essential part of Latin music and are played while sitting down and holding the drums between the knees.•Cuatro: As the Spanish began to colonize Puerto Rico, they brought with them a variety of musical instruments, including guitars, which were very popular during that time period, just as they are today. Throughout history, Puerto Ricans have developed several different forms of the guitar, at least four of which were developed from the classical Spanish guitar. The cuatro is one of these variations and is unique to the island, producing a one-of-a-kind sound. When it was first developed, the cuatro only had four strings, thus the name cuatro, which means four. In 1875, the cuatro was changed from four strings to five sets of double strings, giving it the capability to be tuned in half octaves, or fourths. The cuatro first appeared in Puerto Rico's rural farms and was played by the jibaro, or farmers, who played music of the same name. During the holidays, the jibaro went from house to house singing aguinaldos, or Puerto Rican Christmas carols and playing the cuatro. Generally, most cuatros are made from solid blocks of laurel wood and have a resonant sound. For many decades, this violin-shaped instrument has been considered Puerto Rico's national instrument.•Güiro: Believed to have originated with the indigenous Taíno Indians, the güiro is a traditional Puerto Rican instrument made from a hollowed-out gourd with parallel grooves carved into its surface. It is played with a scraper, or pua. The güiro produces a sort of rasping sound, which can be both long and short, made by scraping up or down in either long or short strokes.•Maracas: Originally made from the fruit of the higuera tree, maracas were first used by the Taíno people of Puerto Rico. Commonly used in pairs, the instruments are used to produce a sound that is common to Latin and Puerto Rican music, especially in salsa music.•Panderetas: Panderetas are hand-held drums that can also go by the name panderos. They are similar to tambourines, but are made without cymbals. There is some controversy about whether the modern-day panderetas were derived from the Spanish adufe, or from a comparable African instrument. Panderetas are made from a wooden frame with an animal skin stretched across the top. They come in three different sizes, each of which creates different pitches. Used during the plena, panderetas are played by a group of three, each having their own role in the musical movement.

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Instruments The instruments used in Puerto Rican music have been influenced heavily by the traditions of African, European, and American culture. These influences can be seen and heard in variety of Puerto Ricos of musical instruments.Historically, some of Puerto Ricos instruments originated with the islands native inhabitants, the Taino Indians. These instruments include: the guiro, also known as the guicharo, which is made of a hollowed-out gourd with notches along the side, tambours, which are large drums made from hollowed tree trunks with animal skin stretched across the top, maracas, a pair of small shakers made from the fruit of the higuera tree, and panderetas, hand-held drums similar to tamborines. As Spanish immigrants began to inhabit the island, they brought with them the guitar. The guitar was then adapted into to many different variations. Most notable are the requinto, the bordonua, the cuatro, and the triple. Each one of these variants brings a unique tone and pitch to the table. The cuatro, most popular of the variants has 10 strings and is usually carved from a single block of laurel wood. Translated as the fourth the cuatro is known for its distinctive sound, and takes its place as the nation instrument of Puerto Rico. During the colonization of Puerto Rico, many of the Taino began to die out as a result of their rigorous enslavement to the Spaniards, which led to the enslavement of people of West Africa. As the Africans began to migrate to Puerto Rico they brought with them many of the original designs used to make a variety of drums used in Puerto Rican music. Like the tambour, which is a hollowed tree trunk with animal skin stretched along the top. Collectively, these instruments contribute to the rich assortment of folk music with roots in the cultural melting pot of the island's Spanish, African, and Taíno traditions.Today, the musicians of Puerto Rico use stringed instruments such as the violin and cello along with the 4 traditional variants of the Spanish guitar, and from the brass family, the trumpet, trombone, and saxophone are very popular, as well as numerous others. While Puerto Rican music uses many modern instruments common to Western cultures, the instruments that give the island's music its distinctive sound are unique to the region and are not as well known. Music is an integral part of Puerto Rico's distinct culture and heritage, providing artistic expression through sound, a way to celebrate special events and holidays, preserve lost traditions, and much more.

Styles

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The Major Syles Danza is a popular ballroom style, like our waltz, that can be romantic or festive depending on the rhythm. The seis is similar to the danza in that it is accompanied by a formal dance, but usually has only 6 couples and the music is much simpler.The Aguinaldo style is sung by parades that go from house to house during the holiday season, comparable to our Christmas carols.The bomba is a traditional type of music used by African slaves during the festival of St. James because they were not allowed to worship their own gods so they used music as a religious outlet.The plena style is often called a sung newspaper because it spread messages amongst the people, particularly the lower class. Plena is also played during civil protests because of its use as social commentary.Decima is a type of music with lyrics that mimic a 10-line stanza of poetry. While the structure of the song is rigid, it is often improvised on the spot with subjects ranging from political, philosophical to humorous.In the mid 1900s when many Puerto Ricans immigrated to the United States, primarily to Florida and New York City, they used music and song to stay in tune with their heritage and cultural identity. The rise of mambo and rumba was occurred during this time.Modern day pop music in Puerto Rico is listened to in a similar manner as the western world; during parties, on the radio while sitting in traffic or jamming out while doing homework.

Dance

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Dance of PUERTO RICO To learn about dance on Puerto Rico is to also learn about the island's history and culture. The Taíno Indians were Puerto Rico's first inhabitants before the arrival of European explorers. They held religious ceremonies and other traditional celebrations that featured dance as a focal point of the festivities. After the island was taken over by Spain, the music and dance of Puerto Rico became a blended harmony of musical styles borrowed from Spanish, African, and other European cultures, creating Puerto Rico's signature style of Latin dance.Merengue: Adapted from a genre of dance on the Dominican Republic, the style of merengue that is popular on Puerto Rico has two variations. The choreography of the ballroom merengue is a basic two-step, but with a contrary twist of the hip to the right, which makes it somewhat difficult to perform. The two dance partners get into a vals, or waltz-like position. Plena: Couples dance the simple choreography of the plena, though there is evidence it was originally danced apart. Some plena dances are performed at a blistering pace, accompanying vivacious drum beats.Bomba: The bomba dance is vital to the bomba genre of music and provides the foundation for the rhythm. The history of bomba can be traced back to the end of the 17th century, when the dance was developed along the coast of Puerto Rico. The West African slaves and their descendants used the bomba dances to celebrate baptisms, marriages, and even to plan rebellions. Salsa: The word salsa simply refers to a fusion of different rhythms and is a mixture of many Latin and Afro-Caribbean dances. Salsa music was first created in the 1960s, and since then its popularity has extended to the non-Latino world. Cha-Cha: Named for the scraping sounds of the dancers feet, the cha-cha-cha is a spin-off of the mambo. Dancing the cha-cha consists of three quick steps called the triple step or cha-cha-cha, followed by two slower steps on the one beat and two beat.
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dance of Puerto Rico

CASSIDY

history of the music

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styles of music

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A LITTLE PRESENT

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Bibliography Books:Thompson, Donald. Music in Puerto Rico: a Reader's Anthology. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, 2002. Print.Aparicio, Frances R. . Listening to Salsa. Hanover: Wesleyan UP, 1998. Print.Glasser, Ruth. My Music Is My Flag: Puerto Rican Musicians and Their New York Communities, 1917-1940. Berkeley, CA: University of California, 1997. Print.Rivera, Raquel Z. New York Ricans from the Hip Hop Zone. New York [u.a.: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003. Print.Sanchez, Korrol Virginia. From Colonia to Community: the History of Puerto Ricans in New York City. Berkeley: University of California, 1994. Print.
Websites:1. "History of Puerto Rico I." Sol Boricua, Puerto Rico. Web. 07 Nov. 2011. .2. "History of Puerto Rico - XV Century - 1599." Welcome to Puerto Rico! History, Government, Geography, and Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Nov. 2011.

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Puerto Rico Fast FactsDescription and GeographyCapital: San Juan Official Languages: Spanish and English Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic. Geographic coordinates: 18°15'N, 66°30'W Climate: The climate is Tropical Marine with average temperatures year round, near 80 °F (26.7 °C) in lower elevations and 70 °F (21.1 °C) in the mountains. Time Zone: Atlantic Standard (AST). Sunrise/Sunset Average: 6:54 am to 6:21 pm National Holiday: November 19 (The Discovery of Puerto Rico date).National Hymn (Anthem): "La Borinqueña"Total Area: 9,104 sq km (3,508 sq mi) Limits: To the west by Haití and the Dominican Republic, separated by the Mona Passage, to the east by the Virgin Islands, to the north by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the south by the Caribbean Sea. Land boundaries: 0 km Borders: Puerto Rico is under the U.S. customs jurisdiction. Borders are open between P.R. and the U.S., allowing for free movement of people and merchandise. Coastline: 501 km

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