Original subtitles

THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT \h\h\hU.S. TERRITORIES

\h\h\h\hTHAT SHARE THE SAME DRAMATIC CARIBBEAN SKIES...

WITH A STUNNING HARBOR NAMED \h\hAFTER A DANISH QUEEN...

FAMOUS ARCS OF WHITE SAND...

AND SHIMMERING BLUE WATERS.

\h\h\h\hPUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

ARE A TROPICAL PARADISE.

BUT THEY’VE ALSO BEEN CALLED \h\hAMERICA’S THIRD BORDER,

WITH MILES OF TOUGH COAST \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO GUARD...

WATERS WHERE SMUGGLERS THRIVE...

\hAND ONE OF THE MOST HEAVILY PROTECTED PORTS IN THE NATION.

THEY’VE PLAYED LEADING ROLES

IN ONE OF THE DARKEST PERIODS \h\h\h\h\hIN HUMAN HISTORY...

WHEN SLAVE SHIPS LOOMED \h\h\hON THE HORIZON...

\h\h\hBRUTAL COLONIAL POWERS BUILT MASSIVE FORTIFICATIONS

TO EXPLOIT THE RICHES \hOF THE NEW WORLD...

AND ENSLAVED AFRICAN \h\h\hMEN AND WOMEN

\h\hFLED TO THE TOP OF A TOWERING BLUFF

TO MAKE THEIR DARING BID \h\h\h\h\h\hFOR FREEDOM.

\h\h\h\hPUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

MAY BE A THOUSAND MILES FROM THE U.S. MAINLAND,

BUT THAT’S NEVER STOPPED \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE PEOPLE

OF THESE CARIBBEAN TERRITORIES

FROM MAKING THEIR MARK \h\h\h\h\hON HISTORY.

IT WAS HERE WHERE A KING \h\h\h\h\h\hOF LATIN POP

\h\h\hTOOK THE STAGE ALONE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME...

\h\h\hWHERE REFUGEES FROM COMMUNIST CUBA

\h\h\h\h\h\hARE KNOWN FOR ONE OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN RUM...

AND WHERE A HURRICANE TURNED \h\h\h\h\hA TALENTED SWIMMER

INTO A FUTURE NBA STAR.

THERE’S NO END TO THE SURPRISES OF THESE TWO CARIBBEAN LANDS,

WHERE DRAMATIC CLIFFS ARE CARVED BY THE RAVAGES OF THE SEA...

MOUNTAINS TOUCH THE SKY...

\hAND A LANDSCAPE OF GIANT SINKHOLES

HAPPENS TO BE THE PERFECT PLACE TO STUDY THE UNIVERSE.

THESE ARE THE FASCINATING \h\h\h\h\h\hTROPICAL LANDS

OF THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS \h\h\h\h\hAND PUERTO RICO.

♪

♪

♪

WHEN HUMANS FIRST REACHED

\h\h\h\hWHAT ARE NOW THE U.S. TERRITORIES

IN THE CARIBBEAN

AS MANY AS 5,000 YEARS AGO,

\h\h\h\h\hTHIS IS WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE SEEN:

\h\h\hDRAMATIC CLIFFS RISING OUT OF THE SEA,

\h\h\h\hSTUNNING ISLANDS OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES,

DAZZLING BEACHES,

AND TOWERING MOUNTAINS...

ALL UNDER DRAMATIC \hCARIBBEAN SKIES.

\h\h\hIT WAS AS WILD AND BEAUTIFUL A LAND

AS ANY ON EARTH,

UNTOUCHED BY HUMAN HANDS.

\h\h\hLITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE FIRST PEOPLE

TO DISCOVER THE ISLANDS \h\h\hOF THE CARIBBEAN.

\hBUT WE KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT THOSE WHO FOLLOWED

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND WERE HERE WHEN EUROPEANS FIRST ARRIVED

IN THE 15th CENTURY.

\h\hTHEY WERE MEMBERS OF THE ARAWAK CULTURE

\hWHO LIVED ALONG THE ORINOCO RIVER

IN WHAT’S NOW VENEZUELA.

IT WAS ROUGHLY ABOUT 400 B.C.

THAT THEY STARTED VOYAGING UP AND ACROSS THE ISLANDS

\h\h\h\h\hTHAT ARE KNOWN AS THE LESSER ANTILLES,

\hWHICH ARC ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN SEA.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY INCLUDE THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS.

EVENTUALLY, THESE GROUPS ALSO FANNED OUT FURTHER,

\h\h\hACROSS THE ISLANDS OF THE GREATER ANTILLES,

AND WHAT ARE NOW PUERTO RICO, \h\h\hTHE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC,

HAITI, JAMAICA, AND CUBA.

OVER MILLENNIA,

THE VARIOUS PEOPLES WHO SETTLED THE ISLANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN

DEVELOPED A COMPLEX, \h\hSHARED CULTURE.

THEY CALLED THEMSELVES \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE TAINO,

WHICH MEANS "THE GOOD PEOPLE" \h\h\h\h\h\hIN THEIR LANGUAGE.

\h\h\hTHEY MADE CEREMONIAL STONE AND CLAY FIGURES, CALLED CEMIS,

OF THE MANY GODS AND SPIRITS \h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY WORSHIPPED.

THIS IS A GIANT VERSION

\h\h\hOF WHAT ONE OF THESE RITUAL OBJECTS LOOKS LIKE.

IT’S A MUSEUM OF TAINO CULTURE

HERE IN THE PUERTO RICAN TOWN \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF JAYUYA.

THE TAINO’S SPIRITUAL LIFE

\h\h\hWAS DEEPLY CONNECTED TO THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND THEM.

\h\h\h\h\hAND IN PUERTO RICO, THERE WAS NO PLACE AS POWERFUL

\hAS A LUSH MOUNTAINOUS FOREST THAT’S KNOWN TODAY EL YUNQUE.

IT’S THE ONLY RAINFOREST

\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE U.S. NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hEL YUNQUE LIES ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF PUERTO RICO

\h\h\hAND GETS HIT HARD BY RAIN-LADEN TRADEWINDS

FROM THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

IT RAINS THREE TIMES A DAY HERE ON AVERAGE.

ITS HIGHEST REACHES ARE OFTEN COMPLETELY COVERED IN CLOUDS.

AFTER ALL THAT MOISTURE

\h\h\hMAKES ITS WAY DOWN THROUGH THE CANOPY TO THE FOREST FLOOR,

IT CREATES THE DAZZLING RIVERS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND WATERFALLS

FOR WHICH EL YUNQUE IS FAMOUS.

♪

\h\h\hTHE TAINO BELIEVED THAT A BENEVOLENT GOD CALLED YOCAHU

DWELLED ON EL YUNQUE’S PEAK.

THEY OFTEN PRAYED FOR HIS PROTECTION

FROM THE MORE OMINOUS SPIRIT \hTHAT CONTROLLED THE WINDS.

HIS NAME, "JURAKAN,"

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIS THE ORIGIN OF THE ENGLISH WORD "HURRICANE."

BUT LITTLE DID THE TAINO KNOW

THAT THE GREATEST THREAT \h\h\hTO THEIR EXISTENCE

\h\h\h\h\hWOULDN’T COME FROM ONE OF THEIR GODS,

BUT FROM EUROPEAN \hCOLONIAL POWERS.

ON NOVEMBER 14, 1493,

\hTHE NATIVE PEOPLE LIVING ON THE ISLAND OF ST. CROIX

AWOKE TO FIND 17 STRANGE MASTED VESSELS LOOMING ON THE HORIZON.

IT WAS A MASSIVE FLOTILLA \h\h\h\hOF SPANISH SHIPS,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hCOMMANDED BY CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.

IT WAS HERE, NEAR THE ENTRANCE \h\h\h\h\h\hTO SALT RIVER BAY,

THAT COLUMBUS’S PARTY \h\h\h\hFIRST SET FOOT

ON WHAT WOULD LATER BECOME \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hU.S. SOIL.

THAT SMALL STRETCH OF SAND

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIS NOW KNOWN AS COLUMBUS LANDING BEACH.

TWO DOZEN SPANISH SAILORS PADDLED UP THE SALT RIVER

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO EXPLORE THE ISLAND OF ST. CROIX,

\h\h\h\hBUT ENDED UP IN A DEADLY SKIRMISH

\hTHAT KILLED ONE SPANIARD AND ONE CARIBBEAN NATIVE.

IT WAS THE FIRST DOCUMENTED \h\h\h\h\h\h\hARMED CONFLICT

\h\h\h\hBETWEEN EUROPEANS AND NATIVE PEOPLE IN THE CARIBBEAN

\h\hAND FORESHADOWED THE FATE THAT THESE TRIBES WOULD SUFFER

AT THE HANDS OF EUROPEAN POWERS.

AFTER SAILING THROUGH \hTHE VIRGIN ISLANDS,

\h\h\hCOLUMBUS LANDED ON NEARBY PUERTO RICO.

HE GAVE IT THE NAME \hSAN JUAN BAUTISTA,

\hWHICH IS HOW THE PUERTO RICAN CAPITAL, SAN JUAN, GOT ITS NAME.

BUT 15 YEARS WENT BY

\h\hBEFORE SPAIN ESTABLISHED A PERMANENT SETTLEMENT HERE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN 1508, EXPLORER JUAN PONCE DE LEON

CHOSE AN INLAND SPOT FOR THAT SETTLEMENT

THAT IS KNOWN AS CAPARRA.

IN 1936, ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNCOVERED THE FOUNDATION

OF THE HOUSE WHERE HE LIVED.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE TAINO HAD WELCOMED THE SPANISH,

BUT THEY WERE SOON TREATED AS SLAVES.

THE BETTER-ARMED SPANIARDS

\h\h\h\h\h\hFORCED THEM TO LABOR IN THE HILLS OF OWN THEIR ISLAND

IN SEARCH OF GOLD.

\hANY TAINO WHO REBELLED WERE BRUTALLY TORTURED OR EXECUTED.

\h\h\h\hMANY OTHERS DIED FROM EUROPEAN DISEASES.

THE GOLD THE TAINO MINED

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWAS WHY THE ISLAND CAME TO BE KNOWN AS PUERTO RICO,

WHICH MEANS "RICH PORT" \h\h\h\h\h\hIN SPANISH.

TODAY, TOURISM, NOT GOLD,

\h\h\hIS AN IMPORTANT PART OF PUERTO RICO’S ECONOMY.

\h\h\h\h\h\hAFTER GIANT CRUISE SHIPS LIKE THESE

PULL UP TO THE DOCKS \h\h\h\hOF SAN JUAN,

\h\h\h\h\hTHEIR PASSENGERS EAGERLY FLOOD THE STREETS

OF THE OLDEST CITY ON U.S. LAND.

THE SPANISH MOVED THE CAPITAL \h\hHERE TO SAN JUAN IN 1521.

ONE OF THEIR FIRST \hMAJOR BUILDINGS

WAS THE SAN JOSE CHURCH.

\h\h\h\hIT WAS BUILT BY DOMINICAN FRIARS.

TODAY, IT’S THE SECOND OLDEST \h\h\hCHURCH IN THE AMERICAS.

\hSPAIN’S FORTUNES OF SILVER AND GOLD

\h\h\h\h\h\hFROM THE CARIBBEAN AND CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA

QUICKLY GREW.

BUT SO, TOO, DID THE STRUGGLE \h\h\hBETWEEN EUROPEAN NATIONS

TO CONTROL PUERTO RICO,

SINCE ITS HARBOR WAS PERFECTLY \h\hPOSITIONED ON TRADE ROUTES

TO AND FROM THE NEW WORLD.

ONE OF OLD SAN JUAN’S NICKNAMES IS "THE WALLED CITY,"

THANKS TO THE MASSIVE DEFENSES \h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT SURROUND IT.

\hIN THE 1600s, THE ONLY WAY TO GET IN OR OUT OF THE CITY

\hWAS TO PASS THROUGH ONE OF A SERIES OF TOWERING GATES.

ONLY ONE IS STILL STANDING.

IT’S KNOWN AS PUERTA SAN JUAN.

GATES LIKE THIS ONE

HELPED THE SPANISH TRACK \h\h\hAND CONTROL TRADE.

BUT EVERY NIGHT,

\h\h\hPUERTA SAN JUAN’S HEAVY DOORS WERE LOCKED

\h\h\h\h\h\hTO PROTECT THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS FROM INVADERS.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE SPANISH BELIEVED THERE WERE ENEMIES ON ALL SIDES.

NATIVE PEOPLE MIGHT ATTACK THEM BY LAND,

WHILE EUROPEAN POWERS MIGHT \hTRY TO INVADE THEM BY SEA.

IN ORDER TO DEFEND OLD SAN JUAN, WHICH LIES ON AN ISLAND,

THE SPANISH ENDED UP BUILDING \h\h\h\hFOUR DIFFERENT FORTS.

THE VERY FIRST SPANISH FORT HERE WAS COMPLETED IN 1540

AND IS KNOWN AS LA FORTALEZA.

\hBUT ITS LOCATION INSIDE THE HARBOR

MADE IT VULNERABLE.

A SPANISH HISTORIAN \hAT THE TIME WROTE

THAT "ONLY BLIND MEN COULD HAVE CHOSEN THE SITE FOR THIS FORT."

SO, IN 1539, THE SPANISH BEGAN BUILDING EVEN LARGER DEFENSES

THAT WOULD BECOME THE JEWEL \h\hIN PUERTO RICO’S CROWN:

IT’S A FORT KNOWN SIMPLY \h\h\h\h\h\hAS EL MORRO.

EVEN BEFORE IT WAS COMPLETED,

EL MORRO SUFFERED MULTIPLE ATTACKS.

\h\h\h\h\hON THE NIGHT OF NOVEMBER 23, 1595,

\h\hA BRITISH PRIVATEER NAMED SIR FRANCIS DRAKE

AND 1,500 OF HIS MEN

LAUNCHED AN ASSAULT ON SAN JUAN.

\h\h\h\hDRAKE WANTED TO BURN SPANISH SHIPS IN THE HARBOR

SO ENGLAND COULD GET ITS HANDS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hON THEIR GOLD.

BUT HE AND HIS MEN WERE FORCED \h\h\hTO RETREAT EMPTY-HANDED,

\hEXCEPT FOR A FEW SPANISH PRISONERS.

\h\h\h\hMORE ATTACKS ON SAN JUAN FOLLOWED

\hBY THE ENGLISH, DUTCH, AND FRENCH,

\h\h\h\hAND SO THE SPANISH KEPT INCREASING EL MORRO’S DEFENSES,

TURNING IT INTO THE MASSIVE \h\hTRIANGULAR FORTIFICATION

IT IS TODAY.

IT WAS GIVEN THICK WALLS \h\hTO STOP CANNONBALLS,

AND RAMPS,

\hSO THAT TROOPS, GUNS, AND CANNONS

COULD BE PUT IN PLACE QUICKLY \h\h\h\h\h\hTO FEND OFF ATTACK

AND FIRE BACK.

TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR INVADERS,

SENTRY BOXES, OR GARRITAS, \h\h\h\h\h\hLIKE THIS ONE,

WERE POSITIONED STRATEGICALLY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAROUND THE FORT.

THEY ARE SUCH AN ICONIC SYMBOL \h\h\h\h\hOF PUERTO RICO TODAY

THAT THEY WERE CHOSEN \h\h\h\h\hFOR AN IMAGE

ON THE PUERTO RICAN \h\h\hLICENSE PLATE.

THANKS TO ITS FORTS,

SPAIN WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN \hCONTROL OF PUERTO RICO,

BUT IT WASN’T LONG

BEFORE OTHER COLONIAL POWERS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWERE MOVING IN

ON THE NEARBY VIRGIN ISLANDS.

WHEN CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS

FIRST NAVIGATED THE ISLANDS \h\h\h\h\hOF THE CARIBBEAN,

HE WAS SO AWESTRUCK \h\hBY THEIR BEAUTY

THAT HE NAMED THEM \h\h"THE VIRGINS,"

\h\h\h\h\hIN REFERENCE TO A FAMOUS CATHOLIC LEGEND.

\h\h\h\hTHE SPANISH WERE NEVER REALLY INTERESTED

IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS,

BUT OTHER EUROPEAN POWERS \h\h\h\h\hWERE SOON VYING

TO ESTABLISH SETTLEMENTS HERE.

THEY WANTED THE ISLANDS TO GROW LUCRATIVE CROPS LIKE SUGARCANE,

\hWHICH WAS PRACTICALLY THE NEXT BEST THING TO GOLD AT THE TIME.

BUT IT WAS THE DANISH WHO FINALLY SUCCEEDED

\h\h\h\h\hIN TAKING CONTROL OF THE ISLAND OF ST. THOMAS

IN 1666.

\h\h\hTHEY SOON SET ABOUT BUILDING A FORTIFIED TOWER

KNOWN AS SKYTSBORG, \h\h\hOR SKY TOWER,

IN ORDER TO KEEP AN EYE ON ENEMY SHIPS OFFSHORE.

ST. THOMAS WAS SOON THE HEART OF DENMARK’S VIRGIN ISLANDS COLONY,

\h\h\hWHICH THEY CALLED THE DANISH WEST INDIES.

\hSKYTSBORG NOW LIES ON THE GROUNDS OF A HOTEL,

BUT IT STILL LOOKS OUT

\h\hOVER ST. THOMAS’S LARGE DEEPWATER HARBOR

AND THE THRIVING PORT TOWN

THAT THE DANISH NAMED \h\hAFTER THEIR QUEEN,

CHARLOTTE AMALIE.

IN 1673,

\h\h\hA DANISH SHIP ARRIVED IN THE HARBOR OF CHARLOTTE AMALIE

CARRYING 103 ENSLAVED AFRICAN MEN AND WOMEN.

THEY WERE THE FIRST OF MORE THAN 100,000 ENSLAVED PEOPLE

\h\h\h\h\hWHO WERE TAKEN FROM THEIR VILLAGES IN WEST AFRICA

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND SHIPPED TO THE DANISH VIRGIN ISLANDS.

THESE HUMAN LIVES BECAME A KEY PIECE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF AN ELABORATE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC SYSTEM

KNOWN AS THE TRANSATLANTIC \h\h\h\h\h\h\hSLAVE TRADE.

BETWEEN THE LATE 1600s \h\h\h\hAND THE 1800s,

ROUGHLY 450 DANISH SLAVE SHIPS

LEFT THE AFRICAN COAST \h\hFOR THE CARIBBEAN.

WHEN THEY FINALLY ARRIVED \h\hIN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

ABOUT THREE MONTHS LATER,

ROUGHLY 13% OF THE ENSLAVED \h\h\h\h\hAFRICANS ON BOARD

HAD ALREADY DIED OR GONE MISSING.

OFTEN, THE CAPTAINS AND CREW

\h\h\h\hSIMPLY TOSSED THE BODIES OF THE DEAD AND SICK OVERBOARD.

AS THE SHIPS WOUND THEIR WAY THROUGH THE VIRGIN ISLANDS,

\h\h\h\h\hVERY FEW IF ANY OF THE ENSLAVED PASSENGERS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWOULD HAVE SEEN THE LANDFORMS THEY PASSED BY.

THEIR ENTIRE JOURNEYS WERE SPENT BELOW DECK,

CHAINED TO NARROW BUNKS.

AFTER ARRIVING AT THE DOCKS \h\h\h\hOF CHARLOTTE AMALIE,

\h\h\hTHE ENSLAVED AFRICAN MEN AND WOMEN WERE SOLD AT AUCTION

AND THEN SENT ON TO PLANTATIONS ACROSS THE DANISH WEST INDIES.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hONE OF THE BIGGEST LAY ON THE ISLAND OF ST. CROIX.

THESE STONE RUINS \hARE WHAT REMAIN

OF THE WHIM SUGAR PLANTATION,

WHICH WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED \h\h\h\hIN THE EARLY 1700s.

THIS IS THE GREAT HOUSE, WHERE THE OWNERS LIVED.

IT’S SURROUNDED BY A DRY MOAT,

WHICH HELPED KEEP THE HOUSE \h\h\hAND THOSE INSIDE COOL.

BUT ALL AROUND THE HOUSE,

ENSLAVED AFRICANS \hSPENT THEIR DAYS

IN THE HOT CARIBBEAN SUN,

GROWING AND HARVESTING SUGARCANE

AND RUNNING THE MILL

THAT TURNED IT INTO A VARIETY \h\h\hOF PRODUCTS FOR EXPORT.

MANY SLAVES ON PLANTATIONS \h\h\h\hACROSS THE REGION

TRIED TO ESCAPE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWHEN THEY DID, THEY WERE LABELED "MAROONS,"

\hAFTER A SPANISH WORD THAT MEANS "UNTAMED."

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hONE PLACE THAT ESCAPED SLAVES FLED TO

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWAS THE DRAMATIC NORTHWEST COAST OF ST. CROIX--

A PLACE KNOWN TODAY \h\h\hAS HAMS BLUFF.

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY HID OUT IN THE RUGGED TERRAIN

OF THIS STILL VERY WILD \hCORNER OF THE ISLAND.

FROM THE TOP OF THE BLUFF,

WHERE THE OLD HAMS LIGHT \h\h\h\h\h\hNOW STANDS,

THE AFRICAN MEN AND WOMEN

ARE SAID TO HAVE TRIED TO HAIL PASSING SHIPS,

HOPING THAT THEY WOULD CARRY THEM TO FREEDOM.

BOUNTIES WERE PAID FOR ESCAPED SLAVES

CAUGHT DEAD OR ALIVE,

\h\h\hAND ARMED MILITIAS CONDUCTED REGULAR HUNTS,

\h\h\h\h\h\hTRUDGING ACROSS THE HILLS HERE AT HAMS BLUFF

TO FLUSH OUT THE MAROONS

\h\h\hAND DELIVER THEM BACK TO THE PLANTATIONS THEY HAD FLED.

\h\h\h\hDANISH LAW ALLOWED FOR THE BRUTAL PUNISHMENT

OF ESCAPED SLAVES.

THEY COULD BE BURNED ALIVE, \h\h\h\h\h\hHANGED, WHIPPED,

OR HAVE THEIR EARS AMPUTATED.

BY NOVEMBER 1733,

A GROUP OF SLAVES HAD HAD ENOUGH

AND DECIDED TO REVOLT.

THEIR NOW-FAMOUS REBELLION

HAPPENED ON THE EASTERN SIDE \hOF THE ISLAND OF ST. JOHN

IN A DANISH STOCKADE KNOWN AS FORTSBERG.

THE CRUMBLING REMAINS \h\h\h\h\hOF THAT FORT

CAN STILL BE SEEN FROM THE AIR.

IT WAS HERE THAT ABOUT 14 SLAVES ARRIVED WITH KNIVES

HIDDEN IN BUNDLES OF WOOD.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY KILLED SEVERAL DANISH SOLDIERS IN THE GARRISON

AND THEN FIRED CANNON SHOTS \h\h\h\h\hFROM THE RAMPARTS

\h\hTO SIGNAL THE OTHERS THAT THE REVOLT WAS ON.

FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS,

WEST AFRICAN SLAVES CONTROLLED ST. JOHN

AND ITS MORE THAN \h100 PLANTATIONS.

BUT EVENTUALLY,

\h\h\h\h\h200 FRENCH SOLDIERS FROM THE ISLAND OF MARTINIQUE

CAME TO THE AID OF THE DANISH.

THEY LANDED ON ST. JOHN

\h\hAND HUNTED DOWN THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RAID.

SOME OF THE SLAVES

\h\h\hARE SAID TO HAVE FLED UP TO THE TOP OF THIS CLIFF,

KNOWN AS RAM’S HEAD,

ON THE SOUTHERNMOST CORNER \h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE ISLAND.

THEN, THEY FLUNG THEMSELVES \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOFF THE EDGE,

DOWN TO THE ROCKS AND SEA BELOW,

PREFERRING SUICIDE TO CAPTURE.

OTHERS WERE PROMISED FORGIVENESS IF THEY SURRENDERED

BUT WERE THEN BRUTALLY EXECUTED ONCE THEY WERE IN CUSTODY.

FOLLOWING THE REVOLT,

\h\h\h\hTHE DANISH IMPOSED EVEN TIGHTER RESTRICTIONS ON SLAVES.

ALMOST 60 YEARS LATER, IN 1792,

\h\h\h\h\h\hDENMARK ANNOUNCED THAT IT WOULD SOON BE ILLEGAL

FOR DANISH SHIPS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SLAVE TRADE--

BUT IT DIDN’T BAN \hSLAVERY ITSELF.

IT WASN’T UNTIL 1848

THAT SLAVES IN WHAT ARE NOW \h\hTHE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

WON THEIR FREEDOM \hBY LAYING SIEGE

TO THE DANISH FORT \hIN FREDERIKSTED,

\h\h\hHERE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE ISLAND OF ST. CROIX.

TODAY, IN THE CENTER \h\hOF FREDERIKSTED

LIES EMANCIPATION PARK,

\h\hTO HONOR THAT HISTORIC DAY AND THE UNIMAGINABLE SUFFERING

THAT ENSLAVED AFRICANS \hACROSS THE CARIBBEAN

ENDURED FOR 175 YEARS.

WITHOUT SLAVE LABOR,

THE ECONOMY OF THE DANISH \h\h\hWEST INDIES CRASHED.

THE U.S. CONGRESS WAS FEARFUL

THAT THE ISLANDS MIGHT FALL \h\h\h\hINTO GERMANY’S HANDS

DURING WORLD WAR I.

SO THE U.S. DECIDED TO BUY THEM FROM THE DANISH GOVERNMENT

IN 1917 FOR $25 MILLION.

TODAY, THE VAST MAJORITY

\h\h\h\hOF THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

ARE OF AFRICAN DESCENT.

AND AGE-OLD AFRICAN TRADITIONS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hARE STILL ALIVE

\h\hON THE STREETS OF ONE OF ST. CROIX’S MAIN TOWNS,

CHRISTIANSTED.

ON SPECIAL FESTIVAL DAYS,

HUNDREDS GATHER IN THE STREETS.

THEY EAGERLY AWAIT THE ARRIVAL

\h\hOF FAMOUS FIGURES KNOWN AS MOKO JUMBIES.

THIS TRADITION OF STILT DANCING

IS BELIEVED TO HAVE ORIGINATED \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN WEST AFRICA

AND HAS BEEN PRACTICED HERE \h\hFOR MORE THAN 200 YEARS.

THE REASON MOKO JUMBIES ARE TALL

\hIS SO THEY CAN REACH UP TO THE EVIL SPIRITS ABOVE

AND DRIVE THEM AWAY \h\hBY MOCKING THEM.

SOME STILL BELIEVE TODAY

\h\h\h\hTHAT MOKO JUMBIES HAVE SUPERNATURAL POWERS.

AND EVERY YEAR ON ST. CROIX,

\hNEW DANCERS ARE TRAINED IN THIS AGE-OLD ART FORM.

ON BIG FESTIVAL DAYS,

\h\h\h\h\hMOKO JUMBIES TRANSFORM THIS FORMER DANISH COLONIAL CITY

INTO A PARTY TOWN

THAT BLENDS TRADITIONS \hFROM AFRICA, EUROPE,

AND THE ISLANDS THEMSELVES.

IT WAS ALSO HERE IN CHRISTIANSTED

\h\hTHAT NBA LEGEND TIM DUNCAN FIRST STARTED SHOOTING HOOPS,

BEFORE HE LEFT ST. CROIX \h\h\h\h\hAND WENT PRO.

DUNCAN WAS BORN HERE \h\h\hON THE ISLAND,

BUT HE DIDN’T START OUT AS A BASKETBALL PLAYER.

\hAS A TEENAGER, HE WAS A TOP FREESTYLE SWIMMER

WITH PLANS OF COMPETING \hIN THE 1992 OLYMPICS.

BUT IN 1989,

\h\h\hTHE ONLY OLYMPIC-SIZED SWIMMING POOL ON THE ISLAND

FOR HIM TO TRAIN IN

WAS RIPPED TO PIECES \hBY HURRICANE HUGO.

WITH NO PLACE LEFT TO SWIM,

\h\h\hDUNCAN TOOK UP BASKETBALL INSTEAD.

IN 1997,

HE WAS THE NUMBER-ONE DRAFT PICK OF THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS

AND WAS AWARDED MVP IN 2002.

MANY CONSIDER HIM TO BE \hTHE BEST POWER FORWARD

THE NBA HAS EVER KNOWN.

THE ISLAND OF ST. CROIX

IS THE LARGEST OF THE THREE MAIN U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS.

IT’S ALSO HOME TO NEARLY HALF \h\h\hOF ALL 104,000 RESIDENTS

OF THIS U.S. TERRITORY.

\h\hMOST OF THE OTHERS LIVE ON THE ISLAND OF ST. THOMAS,

WHICH IS ONE REASON

THE HILLS ABOVE THE HISTORIC \hHARBOR OF CHARLOTTE AMALIE

ARE PACKED WITH HOMES, HOTELS, \hAND MILLION-DOLLAR MANSIONS.

BUT THE LAST OF THE BIG THREE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, ST. JOHN,

IS LARGELY UNINHABITED.

\h\h\hWHEN LAURANCE SPELMAN ROCKEFELLER,

A SON OF JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER,

VISITED THE VIRGIN ISLANDS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN 1956,

\h\h\hHE WAS SO AWESTRUCK BY THE BEAUTY OF ST. JOHN

\h\h\h\hTHAT HE PURCHASED 5,000 ACRES OF THE ISLAND.

\hHE THEN DONATED THEM TO THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

\h\h\h\h\h\hTO CREATE THE NEW VIRGIN ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK.

\h\hIT HAS SINCE GROWN TO NEARLY 13,000 ACRES

\hAND INCLUDES REEFS AND SMALLER ISLANDS

ALONG ST. JOHN’S COAST.

\h\h\h\h\h\hWITH SO MUCH OF THE ISLAND PROTECTED,

\h\h\hTHERE ARE ONLY ABOUT 4,000 PERMANENT RESIDENTS

ON ST. JOHN TODAY.

MOST OF IT REMAINS WILD.

LIKE ST. THOMAS,

\hST. JOHN WAS CREATED BY VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS

DEEP UNDER THE SEA.

\h\hWITH STUNNING REEFS AND UNINHABITED SHORES,

\hMANY COME HERE TO FLOAT ACROSS

THE ANCIENT VOLCANIC SEA BED \h\h\hOF THE LESSER ANTILLES

AND PEER DOWN ON THE COLORFUL \hCREATURES THAT CALL IT HOME.

\hTHE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS SHARE THE SAME BLUE WATERS

WITH THEIR U.S. NEIGHBOR, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hPUERTO RICO.

\h\h\h\hBUT THERE ARE VERY DIFFERENT STORIES

\h\h\hABOUT HOW THESE CARIBBEAN TERRITORIES

\h\h\hCAME TO BE PART OF THE UNITED STATES.

TO GET THE VIRGIN ISLANDS,

THE U.S. SENT DENMARK \h\h\h\h\h$25 MILLION,

WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BE WORTH

ABOUT HALF A BILLION \h\h\hDOLLARS TODAY.

BUT GETTING ITS HANDS \h\h\h\hON PUERTO RICO

TOOK A MILITARY INVASION, WITH THOUSANDS OF TROOPS,

DURING AMERICA’S WAR WITH SPAIN.

IN LATE JULY 1898,

MORE THAN 3,000 U.S. TROOPS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hARRIVED HERE AT THE MOUTH OF A QUIET BAY

ON THE SOUTHERN COAST \h\h\hOF PUERTO RICO.

THEY WERE PREPARING TO INVADE THE ISLAND

AND SEIZE IT FROM SPAIN

\h\hJUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER A DEADLY STRIKE

ON U.S. FORCES IN CUBA.

AT THE TIME, PUERTO RICO \hAND THE ISLAND OF CUBA

\h\h\h\h\h\hWERE STILL UNDER SPANISH CONTROL.

IN FEBRUARY 1898,

A U.S. BATTLESHIP \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMAINE

WAS MYSTERIOUSLY TORPEDOED \hIN THE HARBOR OF HAVANA,

KILLING 266 MEN ON BOARD.

THE U.S. DECLARED WAR ON SPAIN

\hAND A FEW MONTHS LATER SENT A NAVAL FLEET SOUTH

TO FLUSH THE SPANISH OUT \h\hOF PUERTO RICO, TOO.

BY 8:45 A.M. ON JULY 25, 1898,

\h\h\h\hTHE U.S. INVASION OF PUERTO RICO HAD BEGUN.

THE SPANISH WERE EXPECTING \hTHE AMERICANS TO ATTACK

FROM THE NORTH,

\h\h\h\hWHICH IS WHY GENERAL NELSON MILES

STARTED HIS INVASION HERE \h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE SOUTH.

WHEN THE U.S. FORCES LANDED \h\hON THE BEACH AT GUANICA,

THEY CAME UNDER FIRE.

FOUR SPANIARDS DIED,

\h\h\h\h\hBUT THERE WERE NO AMERICAN CASUALTIES.

\h\h\h\h\h\hGENERAL MILES QUICKLY MOVED ON TO PONCE,

\hWHICH WAS THE LARGEST CITY IN PUERTO RICO AT THE TIME.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSPANISH SCOUTS FIRST SPOTTED THE U.S. FORCES

FROM A LOOKOUT TOWER \h\h\hON THIS HILL,

\h\h\h\h\hWHERE THE GIANT WATCHMAN CROSS NOW STANDS.

IT WAS HERE IN HISTORIC PONCE

THAT GENERAL MILES ESTABLISHED \hTHE FIRST U.S. HEADQUARTERS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT SOON THE SPANISH SURRENDERED,

\h\h\h\h\hAND THE SHORT-LIVED SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR WAS OVER.

\hWHEN THE U.S. AND SPAIN SIGNED THE TREATY OF PARIS

IN DECEMBER 1898,

PUERTO RICO WAS HANDED OVER \h\hTO THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.

IT’S BEEN A U.S. TERRITORY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hEVER SINCE.

UNDER THE TREATY,

\h\h\h\h\h\hSPANISH SETTLERS RETAINED THEIR LAND RIGHTS.

ONE OF THOSE FORMER \hCOLONIAL FAMILIES

USED THEIR SUGARCANE FIELDS \h\h\h\hAND SMALL DISTILLERY

TO CREATE ONE OF THE BIGGEST \h\hNAMES IN CARIBBEAN RUM:

DON Q.

RUM, WHICH IS MADE FROM MOLASSES FERMENTED WITH YEAST,

WAS ONE OF THE MANY PRODUCTS

PRODUCED ON PLANTATIONS \hACROSS THE CARIBBEAN.

IN THE 1930s,

THE SERALLES FAMILY TURNED DON Q INTO A GLOBAL BRAND.

THEY USED THEIR RUM FORTUNE

TO BUILD A PRIVATE MANSION \h\h\hTHAT IS NOW A MUSEUM

AND ONE OF PONCE’S MOST FAMOUS \h\h\h\hAND VISITED LANDMARKS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIT’S KNOWN AS THE SERALLES CASTLE.

\h\h\h80% OF THE RUM THAT AMERICANS DRINK

IS REPORTED TO COME \hFROM PUERTO RICO.

\h\hANOTHER MANSION BUILT BY RUM BARONS

\h\hLIES HERE IN THE HILLS JUST OUTSIDE OF SAN JUAN.

THIS IS THE BACARDI ESTATE.

\h\hIT’S EASILY IDENTIFIABLE BY THE SIGNATURE BACARDI BAT

\h\h\h\hIN THE BOTTOM OF THE SWIMMING POOL.

THE DISTILLERY OF THIS \h\hWORLD-FAMOUS BRAND

LIES ACROSS TOWN.

BACARDI WASN’T ORIGINALLY \h\h\hA PUERTO RICAN RUM.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIT WAS STARTED BY SPANISH SETTLERS IN CUBA.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT IN 1960, THE COMMUNIST CUBAN GOVERNMENT

\h\h\hSEIZED CONTROL OF BACARDI’S ASSETS.

THE FAMILY FLED AND SET UP SHOP

IN A SMALLER DISTILLERY \h\h\hTHEY ALREADY OWNED

HERE IN SAN JUAN.

THIS ART DECO TOWER

\hHAS BEEN THE COMPANY’S HEADQUARTERS EVER SINCE.

TODAY, 70 MILLION CASES \h\h\h\h\hOF BACARDI RUM

ARE PRODUCED HERE EVERY YEAR

AND ARE ONE REASON PUERTO RICO

\h\h\hIS ONE OF THE BIGGEST RUM PRODUCERS IN THE WORLD.

\h\h\h\h\hWHEN SPANISH SHIPS LEFT THE HARBOR OF SAN JUAN

LOADED WITH RUM AND SUGAR,

\h\h\h\hTHEY ALSO CARRIED ANOTHER PUERTO RICAN CROP

THAT WAS FAMOUS IN EUROPE:

COFFEE.

IT’S STILL GROWN ON PLANTATIONS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hALL ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS HERE.

THE COFFEE BEAN,

\hWHICH ORIGINALLY CAME FROM AFRICA,

WAS BROUGHT TO THE CARIBBEAN ON EUROPEAN SHIPS IN THE 1700s.

\h\h\h\hTHE LUSH MOUNTAINS OF PUERTO RICO’S INTERIOR

\hPROVED TO HAVE THE PERFECT SOIL CONDITIONS AND CLIMATE

TO GROW COFFEE.

\h\h\h\h\hSOON, MANY IN EUROPE CONSIDERED PUERTO RICAN COFFEE

THE BEST IN THE WORLD.

\h\h\hWITH A POPULATION OF ABOUT THREE AND A HALF MILLION PEOPLE,

PUERTO RICO HAS TO IMPORT \h\h\h\hMOST OF ITS FOOD.

\hBUT AGRICULTURE REMAINS A KEY PART

OF PUERTO RICO’S ECONOMY.

\h\h\hLAND THAT ONCE HELD ENORMOUS SUGAR PLANTATIONS

ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE MAIN ISLAND

\h\hIS NOW HOME TO FIELDS OF EVERYTHING FROM CORN TO RICE

TO BANANAS.

\h\h\h\h\hTHERE ARE ALSO VAST FIELDS OF PLANTAINS

THAT ARE SPRAYED REGULARLY \h\h\h\hWITH INSECTICIDES

\hTO PROTECT THEM FROM UNIQUE TROPICAL INSECTS AND DISEASES.

\h\hTHEY THRIVE ON THE WATER FROM THE RIVERS AND STREAMS

\h\h\h\h\hTHAT TUMBLE OUT OF THE ISLAND’S MOUNTAINS.

BUT THERE’S NO MORE IMPRESSIVE \h\hCROP HERE IN PUERTO RICO,

FROM THE AIR,

THAN MANGOES.

THIS METICULOUSLY PLANTED \h\h\h\h\h\hMANGO ORCHARD

IS ONE OF THE LARGEST.

MANGO FARMERS HERE

\h\h\h\h\hHAVE DEVELOPED WAYS TO GROW THIS FRUIT YEAR ROUND.

MANGOES ARE PUERTO RICO’S \h\hNUMBER-ONE FRUIT CROP.

ROUGHLY 80% OF THE MANGOES \h\h\h\hFROM THIS ORCHARD

WILL BE EXPORTED TO EUROPE.

TEN PERCENT WILL END UP \h\h\hIN GROCERY STORES

ALL ACROSS THE LOWER 48.

SUGAR, COFFEE, AND FRUIT

\h\h\hHAVE ALL MADE MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS

TO PUERTO RICO’S ECONOMY.

BUT THE MOST FAMOUS EXPORTS \h\h\hOF THIS U.S. TERRITORY

ARE ITS ACTORS, ENTERTAINERS, \h\h\h\h\hAND SPORTS LEGENDS.

ON THE ISLAND’S NORTHERN COAST

LIES A NEIGHBORHOOD \h\h\hCALLED DORADO.

\h\hIT’S HOME TO THE MANSIONS OF MANY FAMOUS PUERTO RICANS.

THEY INCLUDE GOLF LEGEND \h\hCHI CHI RODRIGUEZ...

AND SINGER RICKY MARTIN.

MARTIN DIDN’T GROW UP \h\h\hHERE IN DORADO.

HE WAS RAISED IN SAN JUAN.

A TALENTED SINGER AS A CHILD,

HE JOINED THE PUERTO RICAN \h\h\h\h\hBOY BAND MENUDO

WHEN HE WAS ONLY 12.

HE SANG HIS FIRST SOLO \h\h\h\h\hFOR THE BAND

\h\h\hHERE INSIDE THE LUIS FERRE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE LIGHTS DIMMED, AND MARTIN TOOK THE STAGE ALONE

FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.

AFTER TOURING WITH THE BAND,

\hHE WENT BACK AND GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN SAN JUAN

AND THEN LAUNCHED \hTHE SOLO CAREER

THAT MADE HIM A GLOBAL STAR.

SAN JUAN AND ITS FAMOUS BEACHES WERE ALSO THE STOMPING GROUND

OF A YOUNG TROUBLEMAKER NAMED BENICIO DEL TORO.

THE FUTURE HOLLYWOOD ACTOR

ATTENDED THIS PRIVATE \h\hCATHOLIC ACADEMY,

AND ON THE WEEKENDS,

HE AND HIS FRIENDS USED TO ENTERTAIN TOURISTS NEARBY,

AT THE BRIDGE OF TWO BROTHERS.

THEY PAID DEL TORO A DOLLAR

TO SEE HIM LEAP FROM THE BRIDGE TO THE WATERS BELOW.

\hHE LATER SAID THIS WAS HOW HE FIRST DISCOVERED

THAT HE LIKED PERFORMING.

IN 2001, DEL TORO WON AN OSCAR

FOR HIS SUPPORTING ROLE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTRAFFIC.

\h\h\h\h\hHE NOW LIVES ON THE U.S. MAINLAND,

AND THAT GIVES HIM RIGHTS

\h\h\h\hNOT AFFORDED TO HIS FELLOW PUERTO RICANS

HERE ON THE ISLANDS.

\h\hUNLIKE ALL THE OTHER FORMER SPANISH COLONIES

IN THE CARIBBEAN,

PUERTO RICO NEVER GAINED \h\h\hITS INDEPENDENCE.

IT WENT DIRECTLY FROM BEING \h\h\h\h\h\hA SPANISH COLONY

TO A U.S. TERRITORY.

\h\h\h\h\hTODAY, THE U.S. AND THE PUERTO RICAN FLAG

FLY OVER ITS CAPITOL BUILDING \h\h\h\h\h\hHERE IN SAN JUAN,

JUST AS STATE AND U.S. FLAGS DO

ON NEARLY EVERY STATE HOUSE \h\h\h\h\hACROSS THE NATION.

BUT PUERTO RICO IS NOT A STATE;

IT’S A TERRITORY.

\hLIKE THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS IN THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS,

\h\h\hPUERTO RICANS HOLD U.S. PASSPORTS,

BUT ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO VOTE \hIN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES

AND LOCAL ELECTIONS.

\hTHEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CAST THEIR BALLOTS

FOR THE U.S. PRESIDENT.

\h\h\h\hIT’S ONE REASON THAT MANY IN PUERTO RICO

\hFAVOR THE TERRITORY BECOMING A U.S. STATE

\h\h\h\hAND WHY OTHERS BELIEVE THAT THEIR BELOVED PUERTO RICO

SHOULD FINALLY BE ALLOWED \h\h\hTO GAIN ITS FREEDOM

AS AN INDEPENDENT NATION.

IF IT WERE A STATE,

PUERTO RICO WOULD BE BIGGER \h\h\h\h\hTHAN RHODE ISLAND,

BUT SMALLER THAN CONNECTICUT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hITS LAND COVERS JUST OVER 3,500 SQUARE MILES.

AND IT’S NOT JUST \hA SINGLE ISLAND.

THIS U.S. TERRITORY

COVERS 143 DIFFERENT ISLANDS, \h\h\h\h\h\hKEYS, AND ATOLLS.

BUT ONLY THREE OF THEM

\h\h\h\h\hARE INHABITED BY PERMANENT RESIDENTS:

THE MAIN ISLAND OF PUERTO RICO,

VIEQUES TO THE SOUTHEAST,

AND CULEBRA, WHICH IS FAMOUS

\hFOR ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL STRETCHES OF SAND IN THE WORLD.

IT’S CALLED FLAMENCO BEACH

AND LIES ON CULEBRA’S \h\h\hNORTHERN SHORE.

MANY TRAVEL TO PUERTO RICO

JUST FOR A CHANCE TO CAMP OUT ON THIS STUNNING ARC OF WHITE SAND.

AND IT’S HARD TO MISS \h\hTHE STRANGE OBJECT

THAT LIES RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE \h\h\h\h\h\hOF FLAMENCO BEACH.

IT’S AN ABANDONED \hU.S. ARMY TANK,

COVERED WITH GRAFFITI.

IT DIDN’T END UP HERE BY CHANCE.

\h\h\h\hNOR DID THIS ONE HIGHER UP IN THE HILLS.

THESE MILITARY REMNANTS \hARE EVIDENCE OF A TIME

WHEN THE U.S. GOVERNMENT \h\h\hVALUED PUERTO RICO

NOT FOR ITS NATURAL BEAUTY \h\h\hAND TOURISM DOLLARS,

\h\h\h\hBUT BECAUSE OF ITS STRATEGIC LOCATION

\h\h\h\h\hON THE EDGE OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA,

\h\hBETWEEN EUROPE AND SOUTH AMERICA.

\h\h\hIT’S ONE REASON THAT SPAIN HAD MADE PUERTO RICO

ITS MILITARY OUTPOST \h\hIN THE NEW WORLD

MORE THAN FOUR CENTURIES AGO.

AND CULEBRA WASN’T THE ONLY \h\h\h\hPUERTO RICAN ISLAND

USED BY U.S. FORCES.

IN 1941, AT THE HEIGHT \h\h\hOF WORLD WAR II,

\h\h\hMILITARY PLANNERS ARRIVED ON THE NEARBY ISLAND OF VIEQUES

AND STARTED BUILDING THIS.

IT WAS ENVISIONED AS A LONG SEA WALL

\hTHAT WOULD CONNECT VIEQUES WITH PUERTO RICO’S MAINLAND

SEVEN MILES AWAY.

\h\hITS PURPOSE WAS TO CREATE A PROTECTED HARBOR ON ONE SIDE

\h\h\h\hFOR THE U.S. AND BRITISH NAVIES--

\hONE BIGGER EVEN THAN PEARL HARBOR.

BUT TWO YEARS LATER,

THE GREAT SEA WALL PROJECT \h\h\h\h\h\hWAS ABANDONED,

LEAVING VIEQUES WITH ONLY \h\h\hA ONE-MILE-LONG PIER

THAT STILL REACHES OUT \hINTO VIEQUES SOUND,

OVER FIVE MILES SHORT \h\h\h\h\hOF ITS GOAL.

\h\h\h\h\hIT’S KNOWN BY LOCALS AS ROMPEOLAS, OR "BREAKWATER."

BUT THE MILITARY’S PLANS

\h\h\hALSO INCLUDED TURNING THE ISLAND OF VIEQUES ITSELF

\h\hINTO A MASSIVE NEW TRAINING AREA,

\h\hBOMBING RANGE, AND WEAPONS DEPOT,

AND THAT WORK CONTINUED.

TO DO IT, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT \h\hFORCED MANY WHO LIVED HERE

OFF THEIR LAND.

\h\h\h\hTHEY GAVE THEM JUST 10 DAYS TO VACATE

AND THEN RAZED THEIR HOMES.

\h\h\h\h\hTHE PROJECT FUELED AN ECONOMIC BOOM IN VIEQUES,

\hAS HUNDREDS OF WORKERS FROM ACROSS PUERTO RICO

\hFLOCKED HERE TO BUILD GIANT WEAPONS MAGAZINES LIKE THESE,

FOR WAGES OF $2.25 A DAY.

♪

FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS,

\hTHE U.S. MILITARY AND ITS NATO ALLIES

USED VIEQUES FOR EXERCISES \h\hAND BOMBING PRACTICE.

CRATERS FROM THOSE BOMBS CAN STILL BE SEEN TODAY

FROM THE AIR.

\h\h\h\hONE OF THEM ENDED WITH A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

ON APRIL 19, 1999,

A SECURITY GUARD NAMED DAVID SANES RODRIGUEZ

WAS AT HIS POST HERE ON TOP OF THIS HILL

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN WHAT WAS PART OF THE MILITARY-CONTROLLED AREA

OF THE ISLAND.

HE WAS STANDING OUTSIDE, \h\h\h\hIN THE TWILIGHT,

UNDER A GRAY SKY,

WHEN HE HEARD THE WHOOSH \hOF TWO 500-POUND BOMBS

ROCKETING TOWARD HIM

FROM SOMEWHERE UP IN THE CLOUDS.

THE PILOT OF AN FA-18 ON A TRAINING MISSION

HAD MADE A TERRIBLE ERROR

AND LAUNCHED HIS WEAPONS \h\hAT THE WRONG TARGET.

THE BOMBS LANDED ON BOTH SIDES \h\h\h\h\hOF SANES RODRIGUEZ,

JUST 50 FEET AWAY.

THEIR POWERFUL EXPLOSIONS \h\hKILLED HIM INSTANTLY.

\hTHEY ALSO INJURED FOUR OTHERS IN THE NEARBY TOWER ON THE HILL.

TODAY, A SMALL CROSS \h\h\hMARKS THE SITE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWHERE DAVID SANES RODRIGUEZ DIED.

HIS DEATH IMMEDIATELY GALVANIZED

THE CIVILIAN POPULATION \h\h\h\h\h\hON VIEQUES,

\h\h\h\h\hWHO PROTESTED THE NAVY’S PRESENCE HERE

\h\h\h\hBY WALKING OUT ONTO THE BOMBING RANGE

TO PREVENT ANOTHER DISASTER.

\h\h\hTHEIR YEARS OF WORK FINALLY PAID OFF IN 2003.

\hBUT UP TO 9,000 ACRES OF THIS TROPICAL ISLAND

ARE STILL LITTERED \hWITH MUNITIONS,

AS WELL AS NAPALM, MERCURY, \hAND OTHER TOXIC MATERIALS.

PILES OF BOMBSHELLS ARE STILL \h\h\h\hVISIBLE FROM THE AIR.

CLEAN-UP WILL TAKE YEARS.

BY 2003, ALMOST 18,000 ACRES OF THIS FORMER MILITARY LAND

HAD BEEN TURNED INTO THE VIEQUES NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

\h\h\h\h\h\hNOT FAR FROM THE PILES OF BOMBSHELLS,

STINGRAYS NOW GLIDE UNTHREATENED

IN THE PROTECTED SHALLOWS \hALONG THE VIEQUES COAST.

ON THE WESTERN EDGE \h\h\hOF THE ISLAND,

FORMER MUNITIONS BUNKERS

\h\h\h\hARE BEING RECLAIMED BY THE PUERTO RICAN JUNGLE.

AND ALONG THE ISLAND’S \h\h\h\hSOUTHERN SHORE

HERDS OF WILD HORSES ROAM FREE,

RIGHT NEXT TO THE BEACHGOERS,

WHO ARE HAPPY TO BE RECLAIMING \h\h\hTHEIR PIECE OF PARADISE.

IN 2003, ROMPEOLAS WAS RENAMED

\hTHE PORT OF LIBERTY DAVID SANES RODRIGUEZ

IN HONOR OF THE WATCHMAN

\h\h\h\h\hWHOSE DEATH LED TO THE NAVY’S WITHDRAWAL.

\hBOMBERS NO LONGER DROP THEIR ORDNANCE

ON THE BEACHES OF VIEQUES.

BUT THESE DAYS,

TEAMS FROM U.S. CUSTOMS \hAND BORDER PROTECTION

USE BLACK HAWK HELICOPTERS

TO SCOUR REMOTE STRETCHES \hOF PUERTO RICO’S COAST,

\hSINCE DRUG SMUGGLING AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING

ARE ON THE RISE

IN THE WATERS THAT SURROUND \h\h\h\hTHIS U.S. TERRITORY.

40 MILES WEST OF THE MAIN ISLAND OF PUERTO RICO

LIES ONE OF ITS GREAT TREASURES.

IT’S A FLAT KIDNEY-SHAPED ISLAND KNOWN AS LA MONA.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIT BECAME U.S. TERRITORY IN 1898,

WHEN THE SPANISH HAD TO GIVE UP THE ISLANDS OF PUERTO RICO

UNDER THE TREATY OF PARIS.

THE ONLY HISTORIC BUILDING \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hLEFT HERE

IS MONA ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE.

\h\h\hIT WAS DESIGNED BY A SPANISH ENGINEER,

BUT CONSTRUCTED IN FRANCE,

\h\h\hWITH A LIGHT SO POWERFUL, IT COULD BE SEEN 22 MILES AWAY.

TODAY THE LIGHTHOUSE IS NO LONGER IN USE

AND STANDS ALONE ON AN ISLAND \hTHAT’S NOW A NATURE RESERVE.

\hBUT SINCE MONA ISLAND LIES JUST ABOUT HALFWAY

\h\h\h\hBETWEEN PUERTO RICO AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC,

IT’S BECOME A FLASHPOINT FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

FROM CUBA, HAITI,

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND OTHER NATIONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA.

\h\h\hA TEAM OF U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION AGENTS

SCOURS THE COAST,

SEARCHING FOR THE BOATS \h\hOF HUMAN SMUGGLERS.

MUCH OF MONA ISLAND

\h\h\hIS RINGED BY TOWERING LIMESTONE CLIFFS AND CAVES,

WHICH IS WHY TRAFFICKERS HERE

\hHAVE BEEN KNOWN TO FORCE MIGRANTS TO SWIM TO SHORE.

MANY HAVE DROWNED

\h\h\h\h\h\hTRYING TO REACH THIS SMALL STRETCH OF BEACH.

PATROLLING MONA

\h\h\hAND ITS SMALLER SISTER ISLAND, MONITO,

IS ONE OF THE MANY CHALLENGES

\h\hFOR U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION AGENTS

STATIONED IN PUERTO RICO.

BUT THE BIGGEST IS TRYING \h\hTO CATCH DRUG RUNNERS

\hIN THE VAST ENDLESS SEA THAT SURROUNDS THIS U.S. TERRITORY.

THESE DAYS, RISING QUANTITIES \h\hOF SOUTH AMERICAN COCAINE

ARE LOADED ON SPEEDBOATS \h\h\h\h\hIN VENEZUELA.

SMUGGLERS THEN FAN OUT ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN.

\h\hSOME OF THESE VESSELS CAN TAKE JUST A FEW HOURS

TO REACH THE WATERS \h\hOF PUERTO RICO.

ONCE THE DRUGS HIT SHORE,

MOST ARE THEN REPACKAGED \h\hAND SMUGGLED ONWARD

TO THE U.S. MAINLAND AND OTHER \hCOUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.

OUT HERE, SPOTTING THE TINY BOAT OF A DRUG SMUGGLER

CAN BE NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE,

EVEN WITH HIGH-TECH GEAR.

CARGO SHIPS ARE ALSO CAREFULLY MONITORED

FOR SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY.

\h\h\h\h\hAND WHEN THOSE SHIPS REACH THE HARBOR OF SAN JUAN,

THEIR CARGO PASSES THROUGH

\h\hONE OF THE MOST HEAVILY MONITORED PORTS IN AMERICA.

\h\h\h\hSAN JUAN’S PORT, JUST SOUTH OF THE CITY,

IS EQUIPPED WITH ENOUGH \h\h\hHIGH-TECH SCANNERS

TO X-RAY EVERY SINGLE \h\h\hCARGO CONTAINER

THAT ARRIVES IN PUERTO RICO.

\h\hBUT SOME OF THE DRUGS STAY RIGHT HERE ON THE MAIN ISLAND.

\hIN 2011, PUERTO RICO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS

\h\h\hDISCOVERED THAT A MAJOR NARCOTICS RING

\h\h\hWAS LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO THE HIGHEST OFFICES IN THE LAND.

CLOSE TO PUERTO RICO’S \h\h\hCAPITOL BUILDING

\h\h\h\h\hAND TUCKED UNDER SAN JUAN’S OLD CITY WALLS

IS THE NOTORIOUS COMMUNITY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF LA PERLA.

IN THE 19th CENTURY,

\h\h\h\h\h\hLA PERLA WAS HOME TO THE CITY’S SLAUGHTERHOUSES.

SLAVES ALSO LIVED HERE,

\h\h\hSINCE THEY WEREN’T ALLOWED TO LIVE INSIDE THE CITY’S WALLS.

BUT IT WAS RECENTLY DISCOVERED \h\h\h\hTHAT A DRUG GANG HERE

\h\hWAS USING LA PERLA AS A DISTRIBUTION HUB

FOR AT LEAST $20 MILLION WORTH \hOF SOUTH AMERICAN NARCOTICS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSAN JUAN FACES MANY OF THE SAME URBAN ISSUES

THAT U.S. CITIES DO TODAY,

ALL ACROSS THE NATION.

\h\h\h\hBUT OUTSIDE SAN JUAN, THERE’S A PLACE IN PUERTO RICO

WITH A LANDSCAPE UNLIKE \hANY IN THE LOWER 48--

STRANGE LIMESTONE HILLS

THAT CRADLE ONE OF THE LARGEST \h\h\hTELESCOPES IN THE WORLD.

ALONG THE SOUTHERN SHORES \h\h\h\h\hOF PUERTO RICO,

THE WATERS ARE RELATIVELY CALM.

THE VIRGIN ISLANDS \hACT AS A BARRIER

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT KEEPS BIG OCEAN SWELLS AT BAY.

BUT THAT’S NOT THE CASE

\h\h\h\hON PUERTO RICO’S NORTHERN ATLANTIC COAST,

\h\h\h\h\hWHICH IS FAMOUS FOR ITS WILDER WAVES AND WEATHER.

IT’S WHY THE NORTHWEST CORNER \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF PUERTO RICO

IS A SURFER’S PARADISE.

\h\hTHIS IS THE MOST FAMOUS SURFING SPOT IN PUERTO RICO.

IT’S KNOWN AS RINCON.

WAVES HERE CAN REACH 20 FEET,

WHICH IS WHAT MAKES \hSURFERS FLOCK HERE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

\h\h\hA BIG PART OF WHAT MAKES THE NORTH COAST OF PUERTO RICO

A SURFER’S PARADISE

IS WHAT LIES DEEP UNDERWATER,

75 MILES OFFSHORE.

\hIT’S A LONG CHASM KNOWN AS THE PUERTO RICO TRENCH.

THE FLOOR OF THE TRENCH

IS MORE THAN 8,400 METERS \h\h\h\hBELOW THE SURFACE,

WHICH MAKES IT THE DEEPEST SPOT IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBECAUSE OF THE PUERTO RICO TRENCH,

SWELLS FROM THE ATLANTIC HAVE LITTLE TO STOP THEM

AS THEY HEAD TOWARD LAND HERE

AND ARE PERFECT FOR SURFING.

WHEN SURFERS HERE \hRIDE THE WAVES,

THEY HAVE TO BE CAREFUL \h\h\hOF THE CORAL REEFS

THAT LIE JUST OFFSHORE.

BENEATH THE ISLAND’S STUNNING BLUE WATERS

ARE BEDS OF ELKHORN CORAL,

\h\h\hWHICH WERE NAMED AFTER THEIR SHARP ELK-LIKE HORNS.

ELKHORN IS THE ONE OF THE FIRST TWO TYPES OF CORAL IN THE WORLD

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO BE PLACED ON THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST.

SWIMMERS AND SURFERS HERE

\h\h\h\h\hARE FORBIDDEN TO TAKE PIECES OF CORAL

\h\h\h\h\h\hFROM THE REEFS ALONG PUERTO RICO’S COAST.

\hBUT SCIENTISTS SAY THAT GLOBAL WARMING

IS ULTIMATELY THE GREATEST \h\hTHREAT TO THE SPECIES.

\h\h\hCORAL MAY BE JUST ONE OF PUERTO RICO’S NATURAL WONDERS,

BUT IT’S ALSO PLAYED \h\h\hA LEADING ROLE

\hIN THE CREATION OF ONE OF THE MOST DRAMATIC LANDSCAPES

IN THE CARIBBEAN--

A FORBIDDING REGION \hOF TOWERING HILLS,

ROCKY CLIFFS,

CAVES,

AND SINKHOLES.

IT’S KNOWN AS THE KARST REGION

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND COVERS HUNDREDS OF SQUARE MILES

ALONG THE NORTHWEST EDGE \h\h\h\hOF PUERTO RICO,

JUST SOUTH OF THE COASTLINE.

KARST IS ERODED LIMESTONE

\h\h\hTHAT WAS CREATED MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO,

WHEN SHIFTING TECTONIC PLATES

STARTED PUSHING UP \hTHE OCEAN FLOOR.

OVER TIME, THE REMAINS OF CORAL,

AS WELL AS THE BONES OF FISH \h\hAND OTHER SEA CREATURES,

\h\h\hFUSED TOGETHER TO CREATE A VAST BED OF LIMESTONE ROCK.

THEN, OVER TIME,

RAIN AND WEATHER ERODED \hAND SCULPTED THAT ROCK

INTO THE FORMS WE SEE TODAY.

FROM THE AIR,

\hTHIS REGION ALMOST LOOKS LIKE A VAST BURIAL GROUND FOR GIANTS.

\h\hGEOLOGISTS CALL THESE DRAMATIC PEAKS "MOGOTES."

VERY FEW PUERTO RICANS LIVE HERE AMONG THESE OTHERWORLDLY HILLS,

FOR GOOD REASON.

DEEP BELOW THE EARTH,

\h\h\h\h\h\hRIVERS ACTUALLY WIND THROUGH THE LIMESTONE,

\h\hCONSTANTLY ERODING THE POROUS ROCK ABOVE.

\h\hTHEY’VE CREATED AN AMAZING CAVE SYSTEM UNDER THESE HILLS,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hKNOWN AS THE RIVER CAMUY CAVE PARK.

BUT AS THE ERODED ROCK \h\hMOVES AND SHIFTS,

IT CAN ALSO TRIGGER MASSIVE \hSINKHOLES WITHOUT WARNING.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHIS ONE, CALLED THE TRI-TOWN SINKHOLE,

IS 650 FEET WIDE.

LIVING IN THIS REGION \h\h\h\hCAN BE RISKY.

THIS GIANT KARST CAVE,

PART OF THE CAVE PARK,

\h\h\h\h\hIS A POPULAR SITE FOR VISITORS TO PUERTO RICO,

\h\hBUT IT EXTENDS RIGHT UNDER A ROAD

AND EVEN HOUSES.

IN 1958,

\h\hAN ENGINEERING PROFESSOR AT CORNELL NAMED BILL GORDON

\h\h\h\h\hCAME UP WITH AN AUDACIOUS PROPOSAL.

HE KNEW THAT THE PENTAGON

\h\h\h\h\h\hWANTED TO BUILD A 1,000-FOOT-WIDE TELESCOPE

TO STUDY THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE

\h\h\h\h\h\hAS PART OF ITS BALLISTIC MISSILE PROGRAM.

GORDON SUGGESTED

BUILDING THE MASSIVE TELESCOPE’S CURVED REFLECTOR

\h\h\h\h\hRIGHT INSIDE ONE OF THE SINKHOLES.

THE PENTAGON LOVED THE IDEA.

AND SOON, PUERTO RICO WAS HOME

\h\h\h\h\hTO THE WORLD’S LARGEST SINGLE-APERTURE RADIO TELESCOPE.

\h\h\h\h\h\hIT WAS NAMED THE ARECIBO OBSERVATORY,

\h\h\hAFTER THE TOWN OF ARECIBO, NEARBY.

WHAT MAKES THE KARST REGION

A PERFECT LOCATION FOR THIS FACILITY

\h\h\hIS THAT IT LIES CLOSE TO THE EQUATOR,

WHICH MEANS SCIENTISTS HERE \h\h\h\h\hHAVE A CLEAR VIEW

\hOF ALL THE PLANETS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

THE REFLECTOR IS MADE UP OF 40,000 THIN ALUMINUM PANELS

THAT CAN BE ADJUSTED \h\h\h\hINDIVIDUALLY

TO PROVIDE THE RECEIVER ABOVE \h\h\h\h\hWITH PRECISION DATA.

\h\h\h\h\hTHE RECEIVER IS SUSPENDED ON CABLES

\h\hSTRUNG FROM THREE GIANT SUPPORT TOWERS.

TODAY, THE ARECIBO OBSERVATORY

\h\h\h\h\hIS OPERATED BY CORNELL UNIVERSITY

\h\hAND THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hRESEARCHERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD COME HERE

TO STUDY PULSARS AND PLANETS,

AND EVEN TO SEARCH FOR SIGNS \hOF EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE.

\h\h\hBUT MOVIEGOERS MIGHT RECOGNIZE THIS GIANT DISH

FROM THE JAMES BOND FILM \h\h\h\h\h\h\hGOLDENEYE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE MOVIE, THE OBSERVATORY WAS A STAND-IN

\h\hFOR A SECRET RUSSIAN SATELLITE BASE IN CUBA.

AT THE END OF THE FILM,

PIERCE BROSNAN ENDS UP IN HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT

IN THE STRUCTURE HIGH ABOVE

WITH THE FILM’S VILLAIN, A FORMER BRITISH AGENT,

\h\h\hWHO BOND ENDS UP DROPPING TO HIS DEATH,

ONTO THE DISH BELOW.

TODAY, WORKERS RIDE \hAN AERIAL TRAMWAY

TO GET TO THE RECEIVER.

\h\hIT’S SUSPENDED MORE THAN 400 FEET ABOVE THE REFLECTOR

AND PROVIDES A SPECTACULAR VIEW

OF ONE OF PUERTO RICO’S \h\hMOST UNIQUE PLACES--

A MODERN SCIENTIFIC FACILITY

\h\h\h\h\h\hWEDGED INTO A PRIMORDIAL LANDSCAPE.

THERE’S NO END TO THE WONDER \hOF THESE CARIBBEAN LANDS,

WITH THEIR HISTORIC TOWNS,

PULSING CITIES,

AND SUNLIT SHORES.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY MAY LIE MORE THAN A THOUSAND MILES

FROM THE U.S. MAINLAND,

\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

\hHAVE ALWAYS BEEN AN ESSENTIAL PART

OF THE STORY OF AMERICA.

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