Playlist - PR101

To understand the many factors that contributed to the challenges that Puerto Rico is facing in its recovery from Hurricane María, it is helpful to have a general background of the island’s history and current condition as a U.S. Commonwealth. In this section, we will answer some of the important questions regarding Puerto Rico, including the island’s pre-Columbian history, its legacy as a Spanish colony, its diverse cultural roots, its complex relationship with the United States and the thorny issue of U.S. citizenship, the origins of the current financial crisis, among other topics.