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Puerto Rico was one of the first Spanish colonies in the New World. The Spanish enslaved the Native American population they found on the island abnd through midstreatment they quickly died out. The Spanish than began importing Black Africans to work as slaves. Puerto Rico and Cuba were the last two Spanosh colonies. The United States liberated both islands in the Spanish American War (1898). Puerto Rico became an American Commonwealth. As a result Puerto Rican has been influenced by both Spain And the United States which combined with the Caribbean climate are the principal fashion influences. We have at this time very limited information on Puerto Rico. These Puerto Rican brothers and their sister look to have been photographed during World war II. The clothes look rather American to HBC. Three of the children were reportedly named Josefina, Poldo, and Frank. Note that the boys wear long pants rather than knickers. Even though America was an important fashion influence, we believe that because of climate, knickers were not commonly worn in Puerto Rico. This looks to be an affluent family photographed in the garden of their home. The boys have rather modern looking suits while the gir has a rather 1930s looking dress. Our information on Puerto Rico is very limited.
Puerto Rico was inhabited by the Taíno Indians. They called the island Borinquen. Puerto Rico was one of the first Spanish colonies in the New World. Columbus landed on the island during his second voyage (14933). The Spanish enslaved the Native American population they found on the island and through midstreatment and exposure to European diseases they quickly died out. Many Tinos wee killed in an uprising against the Spanish (1506). The Spanish than began importing Black Africans to work as slaves. Puerto Rico did not have much of the gold the Spanish were seeking. The main crop quickly became sugar. The Spanish because of the strategic importance of the island built a massive fortification at San Juan--El Moro. The island gradually became a backwater of the Spanish Empire. Puerto Rico and Cuba were after the war of liberation on the mainland, the last two Spanish coloniesin the New World.
The Spanish King issued a 'Cedula de Gracia' to increase the European population of Puerto Rico which ws largely slaves of African discent. The Crown awarded land grants to immigrants (early 19th century). The Puerto Rican abolitionist movement persued an extended struggle to end slavery on the island. Cuba and Puerto Rico were some of the last places in the Americas where slavery persisted. The Spanish National Assembly finally abolished slavery in Puerto Rico (1873). This left Brazil as the last bastion of slavery in the America. The United States liberated both islands from Spanish colobial rule in the Spanish American War (1898). The major battles of the War were fought on Cuba which had a substantial Spanish garrison. The Foraker Act established a civil government (1900). The Jones Act granted Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship (1917). This layed the foundatin for the drafting of Puerto Rico's Constitution and the holding of democratic elections (1952). Puerto Rico became an American Commonwealth, a status the island still has. There is no consensus in Puerto Rico about seeking statehood or independence.
As a result Puerto Rican has been influenced by both Spain And the United States which combined with the Caribbean climate are the principal fashion influences.
We have at this time very limited information on Puerto Rico. Our archive is very limited and as a result we cannot yet sketch out chronolohical trends in any detail. We note very significant differences as to how children dressed deprnding on demofraphic and socia; class variables. These differences were notablr before World War II, but by the 1950s had begun to disappear. These Puerto Rican brothers and their sister look to have been photographed during World war II (figure 1). The clothes look rather American to HBC. Three of the children were reportedly named Josefina, Poldo, and Frank. Note that the boys wear long pants rather than knickers. Even though America was an important fashion influence, we believe that because of climate, knickers were not commonly worn in Puerto Rico. This looks to be an affluent family photographed in the garden of their home. The boys have rather modern looking suits while the girl has a rather 1930s looking dress.
Our information on Puerto Rico is very limited. One reader has provided us some details about his personal experiences in the 1960s.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[The 1880s]
[The 1890s]
[The 1900s]
[The 1910s]
[The 1920s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
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[Knicker suits]
[Short pants suits]
[Socks]
[Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers]
[Blazer]
[School sandals]
[School smocks]
[Sailor suits]
[Pinafores]
[Long stockings]
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