Oct 24, 2011

The Boston Architectural College - 320 Newbury Street - Boston MA 02115 - USAhttp://www.the-bac.edu/http://www.the-bac.edushapeimage_140_link_0

Living in the Américas - Fall 2011

BAC Long Studio  

Historic Research Assignments


The  ‘Resources’ web page lists information about Puerto Rico available on the web:

Encilopedia de Puerto Rico;

Wikipedia Puerto Rico Portal; and

Welcome to Puerto Rico .


The studio has been divided into 5 groups of 2 to 3 researcher / presenters.  Each group, working together and using these, and other, sources of their choosing, will present people and events from periods of Puerto Rico’s history. 


Every member of the studio, after seeing the group presentations, will prepare an artwork, with commentary, in response to it.


The historic periods covered, with associated key words for exploration, are:


Precolumbian - to 1492

Presentation is Thursday, September, 1

Borinqén; Tainos, Ciboney, Guanajatabey, caves, engravings, petroglyphs, Caciques, Bohios, Cemis, Batey, Hamacas, Ceremonial plazas; Areyto; Guasabe, Jicaras


Conquest to last Governor Ponce de Leon (1492 - 1580)

Presentation is Thursday, September 8

Conquest,Taino decimation, Columbus, Juan Ponce de Leon, Caparra Village, Repartimiento; encomienda; Diego Salceda, Fortaleza


Captaincy General to Grito de Lares (1580 - 1868)

Presentation is Monday, September 12

African Slaves, Intermarriage, Sir Francis Drake, San Felipe del Morro fortress, Plaza de Armas, San Cristóbal Fortress, Puerta San Juan; British invation attempt. Latin American Wars of Independence, Puerto Rican representation in the Spanish Cortes; Cadiz Constitution - establishment, then revocation, then restitution; Royal Decree of Grace; Sugar and coffee, “El Jibaro,” by Alonso; El Grito de Lares.


Independence Fight to U.S. Possession (1868-1929)

Presentation is Thursday, September 15

Spanish American War, U.S. Invasion, Capitulation, Treaty of Paris, Foraker Act, Jones Act, Balzac vs. Porto Rico, Wall Street Crash,


Estado Libre Asociado (from 1930)

Presentation is Monday, September 19

Puerto Rican Reconstruction Administration; Bacardi y Compañía; Luis Muñoz Rivera; 1940 U.S. Nationality Act; Elective Governors Act; “La Ley de la Mordaza;” Caribe Hilton Hotel; Observatory of Arecibo; Navy Bombing on Vieques.

Reading Assignments

The readings are supplementary information to support the exploration assignments.  The instructors will deliver .pdf copies of the material to the studio by e-mail.


  1. 1. Assigned September 29:

    “Ancient Bornquen,” chapter 8 and 9

    “Architectural Heritage of the Caribbean,”

    part 1

  1. 2.Assigned September 1:

    “Island of Lost Causes,” Esmeralda

    Santiago

    (in “Boricua” pages 23 to 28)

    Crossing the Water website

    Santeria Images Flickr set

  1. 3.Assigned for Labor Day Weekend

    Pages 2 to 27 of “An Anthology of Puerto

    Rican Literature:”  “Let me tell you a

    story,””Revolt of the Broinquenos,” “The

    Renegates,” and “Guanina.”

    “Old San Juan,” pages 33 to 53 and 92 to

    95.

  1. 4.Assigned September 8

    “Hacienda Buena Vista,” Chapter 2,

    Chapter 4, and Chapter 5

  1. 5.Assigned September 12

    “Our New Possissions,” “The Healthiest

    of the Antilles,” “Puerto Rico, Its Cities

    and People,” “Literature, The Drama, and

    Hotels.”

  1. 6.Assigned September 15

    “An Anthology of Puerto Rican Culture,”

    page 37 to 43 about the Jibaro, and from

    page 45 onwards about Hostos,

    Betances, the Grito de Lares, and the

    Borinquena.  

  1. 7.Assigned September 19

    “Macho Camacho’s Beat.” (Readings

    divided among the members of the studio

     for a recitation on September 22).

Exploration Assignments:

The history and explorations assignments are in preparation for travel.  In contrast to the historic research, which is chonological, The topics of the explorations are timeless. 

Fall Syllabus*

*Always a work in progress.....

1-Preconceptions.pdf

due September 29

2-Bohio.pdf

due September 1

3-Spirituality.pdf

due September 8

4-Albanico.pdf

due September 12

To Be Announced will be due September 15

6-Sabor.pdf

due September 19

7-Chiringas.pdf

due September 19

Photos for Study