Puerto Rico

When he landed on a small Caribbean island in 1493, Christopher Columbus referred to it as puerto rico (Spanish for "rich port"). Today, the name Puerto Rico refers to an archipelago that includes the main island (Puerto Rico) as well as several smaller islands (including Vieques and Culebra). Puerto Rico is the fourth-largest island in the Caribbean, lying approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 km) southeast of Florida. Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony for more than 400 years, before coming...
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When he landed on a small Caribbean island in 1493, Christopher Columbus referred to it as puerto rico (Spanish for "rich port"). Today, the name Puerto Rico refers to an archipelago that includes the main island (Puerto Rico) as well as several smaller islands (including Vieques and Culebra). Puerto Rico is the fourth-largest island in the Caribbean, lying approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 km) southeast of Florida. Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony for more than 400 years, before coming under U.S. control in the treaty that ended the 1898 Spanish-American War. Since 1952, Puerto Rico has been a self-governing commonwealth of the United States, and at some point it may become a U.S. state. While tourism is important to the island's economy, unlike many other Caribbean islands Puerto Rico has a solid manufacturing sector, producing pharmaceuticals and electronics among other goods. This has enabled Puerto Ricans to achieve a standard of living that is among the highest in Latin America. There's a lot to discover about Puerto Rico! Each title in this series contains color photos, maps, a chronology of events related to the country, recipes, list of festivals, ideas for projects and reports, and back matter including: an index, further reading lists for books and internet resources, and a series glossary. Mason Crest's editorial team has placed Key Icons to Look for throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are then used in the prose throughout that chapter, and are emboldened, so that the reader is able to reference back to the definitions- building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Text Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader's comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each book and provide readers with suggestions for projects and reports that encourage deeper research and analysis. A Series Glossary of Key Terms is included in the back matter contains terminology used throughout the series. Words found here broaden the reader's knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field.