NationMaster - Encyclopedia: French immigration to Puerto Rico

The French immigration to Puerto Rico during the 18th and 19th century came about as a result of various economic and political situations which occurred in Louisiana (USA), Saint Domingue (Haiti) and in Europe. Official language(s) de jure: none de facto: English & French Capital Baton Rouge Largest city New Orleans [1] Area Ranked 31st - Total 51,885 sq mi (134,382 kmÂ²) - Width 130 miles (210 km) - Length 379 miles (610 km) - % water 16 - Latitude 29Â°N to 33Â°N - Longitude 89Â°W... World map showing the location of Europe. ...

Image File history File links Early_fench_Settler. ... Image File history File links Early_fench_Settler. ...

Situation in Louisiana

In the 17th century, the French settled the area in the New World known as New France. New France included an expansive area of land along both sides of the Mississippi River between the Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains, including the Ohio Country and the Illinois Country. Louisiana was the name given to an administrative district of New France. Upon the outbreak of the French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years' War (1754-1763), between the Kingdom of Great Britain and its North American Colonies against France, many of the French settlers fled to the Caribbean islands of Cuba, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. These islands were part of the Spanish Empire, which welcomed and protected the French from their English enemy. Frontispiece of Peter Martyr dAnghieras De orbe novo (On the New World). Carte dAmÃ©rique, Guillaume Delisle, 1722. ... Capital Quebec Language(s) French Religion Roman Catholicism Government Monarchy King See List of French monarchs Governor See list of Governors Legislature Sovereign Council of New France Historical era Ancien RÃ©gime in France - Royal Control 1655 - Articles of Capitulation of Quebec 1759 - Articles of Capitulation of Montreal 1760 - Treaty... For the river in Canada, see Mississippi River (Ontario). ... Appalachians in North Carolina The Appalachian Mountains (French: les Appalaches) are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. ... The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range in western North America. ... The Ohio Country, showing the present-day U.S. state boundaries The Ohio Country (sometimes called the Ohio Territory) was the name used in the 18th century for the regions of North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and in the region of the upper Ohio River south of Lake... French settlements and forts in the Illinois Country in 1763, showing U.S. current state boundaries. ... Combatants France First Nations allies: * Algonquin * Lenape * Wyandot * Ojibwa * Ottawa * Shawnee Great Britain Iroquois Confederacy American Colonies Strength 3,900 regulars 7,900 militia 2,200 natives (1759) 50,000 regulars and militia (1759) The French and Indian War was the nine-year North American chapter of the Seven Years... Combatants Kingdom of Prussia Kingdom of Great Britain Electorate of Hanover Kingdom of Portugal Electorate of Brunswick Electorate of Hesse-Kassel Archduchy of Austria Kingdom of France Empire of Russia Kingdom of Sweden Kingdom of Spain Electorate of Saxony Kingdom of Naples and Sicily Kingdom of Sardinia The Seven Years... Motto 2(French) God and my right Anthem God Save the Queen 3 United Kingdom() â€“ on the European continent() â€“ in the European Union() Capital London Largest conurbation (population) Greater London Urban Area Official languages English (de facto) Welsh4 Government - Monarch HM Queen Elizabeth II - Prime Minister Gordon Brown Formation - Acts... Betsy Ross purportedly sewed the first American flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes representing each of the 13 colonies. ... â€œWest Indianâ€ redirects here. ... Early map of Hispaniola The island of Hispaniola (from Spanish, La EspaÃ±ola) is the second-largest island of the Antilles, lying between the islands of Cuba to the west, and Puerto Rico to the east. ... Capital Toledo (1492-1561) Madrid (since 1561) Language(s) Spanish Religion Roman Catholic Government Monarchy Monarch - 1516-1556 Charles I - 1886-1902 Maria Christina of Austria, Regent during the minority of king Alphonse XIII History - Discovery of the Americas 1492 - Conquest of the Aztec Empire 1519-1521 - Conquest of the...

Situation in Saint Domingue (Haiti)

In 1697, the Spanish Crown ceded the western half of the island of Hispaniola to the French. The Spanish part of the island was named Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic) and the French named their part Saint Domingue (which was later renamed Haiti). The French settlers dedicated themselves to the cultivation of the sugar cane and owned plantations, which required a huge amount of manpower. They imported slaves from Africa to work in the fields. However, soon the population of the slaves outgrew those of the whites. The slaves lived under terrible conditions and were treated cruelly. In 1791, the slaves were organized into an army led by the self-appointed general Toussaint Louverture and rebelled against the French. The ultimate victory of the slaves over their white masters came about after the Battle of Vertières in 1803. The French fled to Santo Domingo and made their way to Puerto Rico. Once there, they settled in the western region of the island in towns such as Mayagüez. With their expertise, they helped develop the island's sugar industry, converting Puerto Rico into a world leader in the exportation of sugar. Image File history File links Steamship_from_Corsica. ... Image File history File links Steamship_from_Corsica. ... Species Ref: ITIS 42058 as of 2004-05-05 Sugarcane is one of six species of a tall tropical southeast Asian grass (Family Poaceae) having stout fibrous jointed stalks whose sap at one time was the primary source of sugar. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... FranÃ§ois-Dominique Toussaint Louverture FranÃ§ois-Dominique Toussaint Louverture , also Toussaint BrÃ©da, Toussaint-Louverture (c. ... The Battle of VertiÃ¨res, the last major battle of the Haitian Revolution (or Haitian War of Independence) was fought between Haitian rebels and French expeditionary forces on November 18, 1803 at VertiÃ¨res. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Gentilic: MayagÃ¼ezanos Location Location of MayagÃ¼ez, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Coordinates , , Government Founded July 19 1760 Mayor JosÃ© Guillermo RodrÃguez RodrÃguez Political party PPD Senatorial district MayagÃ¼ez Representative district 18 and 19 Geographical characteristics Area Total 709. ...

Situation in Europe

France and Corsica (an island ceded to France by Genoa in 1768) were going through many economic and political changes during the 19th century. One of the changes occurred with the advent of the Second Industrial Revolution, which led to the massive migration of farmworkers to larger cities in search of a better way of live and better-paying jobs. Starvation spread throughout Europe as farms began to fail due to long periods of drought and crop diseases. â€œCorsicanâ€ redirects here. ... Genoa (Genova [] in Italian - Zena [] in Genoese) is a city and a seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria. ... The Second Industrial Revolution (1865â€“1900) is a phrase used by some historians to describe an assumed second phase of the Industrial Revolution. ...

There was also widespread political discontent. King Louis-Phillipe of France was overthrown during the Revolution of 1848 and a republic was established. In 1870-71, Germany defeated France in what became known as the Franco-Prussian War. The combination of natural and man-made disasters created an acute feeling of hopelessness in both France and Corsica. Hundreds of families fled Europe and immigrated to the Americas, including Puerto Rico. All of this came about when the Spanish Crown, after losing most of her possessions in the New World, was growing fearful of the possibility of losing her last two possessions, Cuba and Puerto Rico. Louis-Philippe of France (6 October 1773 â€“ 26 August 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848 in what was known as the July Monarchy. ... —Alexis de Tocqueville, Recollections The European Revolutions of 1848, in some countries known as the Spring of Nations, were the bloody consequences of a variety of changes that had been taking place in Europe in the first half of the 19th century. ... Combatants Second French Empire North German Confederation allied with south German states (later German Empire) Commanders Napoleon III Otto Von Bismarck, Helmuth von Moltke the Elder Strength 400,000 at the beginning of the war 1,200,000 Casualties 150,000 dead or wounded 284,000 captured 350,000 civilian... World map showing the Americas CIA political map of the Americas The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World consisting of the continents of North America[1], Central America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... Frontispiece of Peter Martyr dAnghieras De orbe novo (On the New World). Carte dAmÃ©rique, Guillaume Delisle, 1722. ...

Royal Decree of Graces of 1815

The Spanish Crown had issued the Royal Decree of Graces (Cédula Real de Gracias), on August 10, 1815 with the intention of encouraging trade between Puerto Rico and other countries who were friendly towards Spain. The decree also offered free land to any Spaniard who would be willing to move to the island. The decree was revived in the mid 19th Century with several changes. The Spanish Crown decided that one of the ways to end the pro-independence movement was to allow Europeans of non-Spanish origin to settle the island. Therefore, the decree was printed in three languages, Spanish, English and French. Those who immigrated to Puerto Rico were given free land and a "Letter of Domicille" with the condition that they swore loyalty to the Spanish Crown and allegiance to the Roman Catholic Church. After residing in the island for five years the settlers were granted a "Letter of Naturalization" which made them Spanish subjects. Image File history File links Real_CÃ©dula_de_Gracia. ... Image File history File links Real_CÃ©dula_de_Gracia. ... The Royal Decree of Graces of 1815 is a legal order approved by the Spanish Crown in the early half of the 19th Century to encourage Spaniards and later Europeans of non-Spanish origin to settle and populate the colonies of Cuba and Puerto Rico. ... is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... April 5-12: Mount Tambora explodes, changing climate. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Topics in Christianity Movements Â· Denominations Ecumenism Â· Preaching Â· Prayer Music Â· Liturgy Â· Calendar Symbols Â· Art Â· Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul Â· Church Fathers Constantine Â· Athanasius Â· Augustine Anselm Â· Aquinas Â· Palamas Â· Luther Calvin Â· Wesley Arius Â· Marcion of Sinope Pope Â· Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box: The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic...

Hundreds of Frenchmen and Corsican families (they were French citizens of Italian descent) moved and settled in Puerto Rico. The Corsicans settled the mountainous region in and around the towns of Adjuntas, Lares, Utuado, Guayanilla, Ponce and Yauco, where they became successful coffee plantation owners. The French who immigrated from mainland Europe settled in various places in the island. They were instrumental in the development of Puerto Rico's tobacco, cotton and sugar industries. It was not long before they intermarried into the local population, adopting the language and customs of their new homeland. Yauco is a city (ciudad) in southwestern Puerto Rico bounded on the west by the municipalities of Sabana Grande and GuÃ¡nica, on the north by Maricao, on the east by Guayanilla, and on the south, at the end of a narrow strip of territory, by the Caribbean Sea. ...

Currently

The French influence in Puerto Rico is very much present and in evidence in the island's cuisine, literature and arts. French surnames such as Betancourt and Gautier are common in Puerto Rico. This immigration from mainland France and its territories to Puerto Rico was the largest in number, second only to Spainish immigrants and today a great number of Puerto Ricans can claim French ancestry; 16 percent of the surnames on the island are either French or French-Corsican. The descendants of the original French settlers have distinguished themselves as business people, politicians and writers. "La Casa del Francés" (The Frenchmen's House), built in 1910, is a turn-of-the-century plantation mansion, recently designated as a historical landmark by the National Register of Historic Places, located on the island of Vieques. It is now a guest house. Image File history File links LaCasaFrancesa. ... Image File history File links LaCasaFrancesa. ... Puerto Rican cuisine refers to the delicious cuisine of the island of Puerto Rico. ... The history of the Puerto Rican literature dates back to the 17th century when Puerto Ricans started telling stories and poems using the oral tradition of Coplas and Decimas. ... A typical plaque showing entry on the National Register of Historic Places. ... Vieques is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico. ...

Famous Puerto Ricans with French surnames

Image File history File links Alejandrina_Benitez_de_Gautier. ... Image File history File links Alejandrina_Benitez_de_Gautier. ... Image File history File links Malaret1970. ... Image File history File links Malaret1970. ... Image File history File links Jose_guatier_Benitez. ... Image File history File links Jose_guatier_Benitez. ... Rafael Alers is a famous composer related to Navito Alers. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... David Enrique Bernier a. ... Giselle Blondet, (born January 9, 1964) in New York City, United States, is a Puerto Rican actress and show host. ... The Puerto Rican community is the second largest Hispanic group in the United States. ... Ana Roque Giegel de Duprey a. ... Rene Farrait (born November 2, 1967) is a former member of the teen band Menudo. ... This article concerns the boy band Menudo. ... Nilita Vientos Gaston (June 5, 1903-July 10, 1989) born in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico, was an educator, writer, journalist and the first female lawyer to work for the Department of Justice of Puerto Rico. ... Alejandrina Benitez de Gautier (1819-1879) born in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico was one of the islands first reowned poetist. ... José Gautier Benítez (April 12, 1848 - January 24, 1880) was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico. ... Felisa Rincón de Gautier a. ... Luis Guinot, Jr. ... Rafael Ithier (born 1926 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a Salsa musician and the creator of the highly successful orchestra, El Gran Combo. Ithier was born in the large San Juan area known as Rio Piedras. Ithier showed a passion for music since he was very young. ... Carmen Jovet Carmen Jovet (born June 9, 1944 in MayagÃ¼ez, Puerto Rico) is a journalist and the first Puerto Rican woman news anchor in Puerto Rico. ... Juan Laporte (born November 24, 1959) is a former boxer who was born in Guayama, Puerto Rico. ... Michele LaFountain (born 1969 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is the first Puerto Rican to become anchor of ESPNs Spanish version of SportsCenter. Michele was born into a middle class family and raised in San Juan where she obtained her primary and secondary education. ... Enrique Arturo Laguerre Vélez (July 15, 1905- June 16, 2005) was a well-known writer, poet, teacher and critic from Moca, Puerto Rico. ... Bad of the Heart album George Lamond (born George Garcia on February 25, 1967 in Washington, DC), is an American Freestyle music singer of Puerto Rican descent. ... Eva LaRue (born Eva Maria LaRuy on December 27, 1966 in Long Beach, California) is an American actress. ... Marisol Malaret (born October 13, 1949) was the first Puerto Rican to be crowned Miss Universe, winning in Miami in 1970. ... Oscar NeftalÃ Sallaberry (Nefty, born March 1, 1964 in Ponce, Puerto Rico) and Fernando RamÃ³n Sallaberry (born December 24, 1965 in Barcelona, Spain), were part of the original Puerto Rican band Menudo. ... Sylvia Del Villard (February 28, 1928-February 28, 1990) born in Santurce, a section of San Juan, Puerto Rico, was an actress, dancer, choreographer and Afro-Puerto Rican activist. ... Luis Vigoreaux (April 12, 1929-January 17, 1983) was a Puerto Rican show host, comedian and producer. ... Luisito Vigoreaux (born approx. ... Roberto Vigoreaux (born approx. ...

Contents

Situation in Louisiana

Situation in Saint Domingue (Haiti)

Situation in Europe

Royal Decree of Graces of 1815

Currently

Famous Puerto Ricans with French surnames

See also

External links

Contents

Situation in Louisiana GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Situation in Saint Domingue (Haiti)

Situation in Europe

Royal Decree of Graces of 1815

Currently

Famous Puerto Ricans with French surnames

See also

External links

Situation in Louisiana