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Puerto Rico History Trivia

Puerto Rico History Trivia Quizzes

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3 quizzes and 40 trivia questions.
1.
  Puerto Rico History Test    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
A little something about my beautiful island, Puerto Rico. Let's see what you know about it.
Average, 15 Qns, s-rebel, Aug 20 21
Average
s-rebel
Aug 20 21
2212 plays
2.
  Important Dates in the History of Puerto Rico   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
See what you know about the history of Puerto Rico, or learn some things you didn't know instead.
Average, 10 Qns, alaspooryoric, Mar 20 15
Average
alaspooryoric gold member
198 plays
3.
  Vieques: A Chronology of Events    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
Here's an informative quiz on the Vieques/US Navy controversy in the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. Enjoy!
Average, 15 Qns, carolle, Sep 28 11
Average
carolle
579 plays
trivia question Quick Question
April 19, 1999: What did a stray bomb do to civilian David Sanes Rodriguez?

From Quiz "Vieques: A Chronology of Events"




Related Topics
  Puerto Rico [Geography] (2 quizzes)


Puerto Rico History Trivia Questions

1. When was Puerto Rico discovered?

From Quiz
Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: 1493

On Christopher Columbus second journey he discovered the island now called Puerto Rico.

2. April 26, 1948: PR legislature approves Law 54, giving the Navy title to ________ of the island's 33,000 acres.

From Quiz Vieques: A Chronology of Events

Answer: 26,000

The island locals had to move to a narrow strip of land in the island's center. To this day, most of the "Viequenses" homes and businesses are located over there.

3. Puerto Rico has the status of a 'commonwealth' of ______ ?

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: U.S.A.

In 1952 Governor Luis Munoz Marin signed a 'commonwealth' with President Harry Truman.

4. In what year did Christopher Columbus make his second voyage to the New World and arrive on the island of Puerto Rico, at that time called Boriken, which Columbus renamed San Juan Bautista (sometimes called San Juan)?

From Quiz Important Dates in the History of Puerto Rico

Answer: 1493

The Tainos called the island Boriken; however, Columbus decided to rename it in dedication to St. John the Baptist. San Juan Bautista or San Juan remained the island's name into the 1500s, when merchants and traders gradually began referring to the island as Puerto Rico, or "rich or wealthy port or harbor". Today, of course, San Juan lives on as the name of the capital city of Puerto Rico.

5. Who was the first Governor of Puerto Rico?

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Juan Ponce de Leon

When the island became a Spanish colony the King of Spain named De Leon Governor of the island.

6. Who was the first native Puerto Rican to be Governor?

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Jesus T. Pinero

When Puerto Rico passed on to the USA, the President always named the governor. In the 1940s, President Truman named a Puerto Rican J.T. Pinero as Governor.

7. In 1595, this famous (or perhaps infamous) Englishman and his fleet attacked the Spanish at the port of San Juan but failed to capture it. Who was this vice admiral, navigator, and privateer who was the bane of Spain?

From Quiz Important Dates in the History of Puerto Rico

Answer: Sir Francis Drake

While often victorious against the Spanish elsewhere, Sir Francis Drake lost the Battle of San Juan, as it was to be called. In fact, he himself nearly died when a cannonball blasted through his cabin on board the flag ship. He did indeed die a few weeks later in January of 1596 due to dysentery, and he was buried at sea. Divers still search for his coffin to this day. In 1598, George Clifford, the Third Earl of Cumberland, and his men did manage to capture San Juan for the English Crown. However, he was not able to hold it because of the loss of soldiers to disease.

8. Who was the first Governor of Puerto Rico elected by the people?

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Luis Munoz Marin

The President let people of the island choose their governor for themselves. In 1948 the people elected Marin, who was beloved by all the country. He also signed a 'commonwealth'.

9. In what year was the Puerto Rican flag first raised?

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: 1895

10. What did the Native Americans call the island before Columbus arrived?

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Borinken

Before the island was discovered by the Europeans, the Taino called the island Borinken.

11. Signed by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in 1917, this act declared Puerto Rico an official United States Territory and gave United States citizenship to the island's inhabitants. What was the name of this act?

From Quiz Important Dates in the History of Puerto Rico

Answer: The Jones-Shafroth Act or Jones Act

The Jones-Shafroth Act (also known as The Jones Act or the Puerto Rican Federal Relations Act of 1917) was an act of the United States Congress to confer full citizenship to the inhabitants of Puerto Rico. The act also created a bill of rights for Puerto Rico's citizens, established the Senate of Puerto Rico, and allowed for the election of a Resident Commissioner, who is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives allowed to function as a U.S. Representative in all other respects, including serving on committees. However, all other key government officials, including Pureto Rico's governor, continued to be appointed by the United States President.

12. April 19, 1999: What did a stray bomb do to civilian David Sanes Rodriguez?

From Quiz Vieques: A Chronology of Events

Answer: killed him

David Sanes Rodriguez was a civilian security guard. Two F-18 airplanes dropped two 500 pound bombs outside their targets area, killing him instantly. There are several memorials dedicated to him in Vieques, and every year the anniversary of his death is remembered. This was the event that made 'all hell break loose' in the already delicate situation.

13. What is the main language of the island?

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Spanish

It was the same language of the first people to conquer the island. The Spaniards.

14. April 20, 1999: The US Navy suspends all operations at the firing range, pending completion of the investigation. For how many months would they be inactive in the island?

From Quiz Vieques: A Chronology of Events

Answer: 2 months

After the terrible Sanes incident, the US Navy stopped all operations for a period of 2 months. There were many protests in the next year, leading to the arrest (for trespassing the Navy's facilities) of many PR politicians (of all parties), nuns, priests, US politicians and activists and ordinary citizens.

15. Where is the island located?

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean

The island is the smallest of the Greater Antilles, and the biggest of the Lesser Antilles. It is located next to the Dominican Republic and has the Atlantic Ocean on the north and Caribbean Sea on the south. It is also one point of the famous "Bermuda Triangle".

16. What famous artist is from Puerto Rico?

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Ricky Martin

Ricky Martin was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was part of teen sensation boy band MENUDO, that was an all P.R. boy band for many years.

17. August 11, 1999: Who visits Vieques on this date?

From Quiz Vieques: A Chronology of Events

Answer: Rev. Jesse Jackson

Jesse Jackson didn't go to Vieques to protest, he went to offer moral support. His words were: "In some sense, what is happening in Vieques is a source of embarrassment for our nation, and a source of international shame". His wife was arrested for participating in civil disobedience in the island.

18. What important NASA location is in Arecibo, Puerto Rico?

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: The radiotelescope observatory

The Arecibo Radio telescope observatory is the biggest in the world and was built on the island by NASA because was the only place in the world where there was a valley surrounded by four mountains which could act as 'corners'.

19. What's the capital city of Puerto Rico?

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: San Juan

The capital city was first Guaynabo, but later passed to San Juan.

20. What famous rum brand originated in Puerto Rico?

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Don Q

Don Q is one famous rum known world wide.The headquarters are in Ponce,P.R. Don Q. stands for Don Quixote. Bacardi is also a famous rum that is made in P.R. and other Latin countries but originally from Cuba.

21. What country has the same flag as Puerto Rico only that with the colors inverted?

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Cuba

As a sign of the only two remaining colonies of Spain, Puerto Rico adopted the Cuban flag only they inverted the colors. Later on Cuba got their independence and Puerto Rico was passed to the U.S. in the Spanish-American War.

22. Which two famous baseball players of the Hall Of Fame are from Puerto Rico?

From Quiz Puerto Rico History Test

Answer: Roberto Clemente and Orlando Cepeda

Orlando Cepeda and Roberto Clemente were both from Puerto Rico. They both loved playing baseball and were very important to the baseball world. Roberto Clemente died in 1972 while sending supplies to the people of Nicaragua who had suffered from a fatal earthquake. Other famous baseball players from P.R. are Juan Gonzalez, Ivan Rodriguez, Bernie Williams, Edgar Martinez, Roberto Alomar, Sandy Alomar, Jose Cruz jr., Ben Molina, Joey Cora and many others.

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