Caparra
Quick Summary
Caparra was the first town founded in Puerto Rico by Spanish explorers in 1508, near present-day San Juan. It was established by Juan Ponce de León, who also explored and settled Puerto Rico. The town was later moved to a more suitable harbor and renamed Puerto Rico, which eventually became the name for the entire island, while the port became known as San Juan.12
The original inhabitants of Puerto Rico were the Taino people, who called the island Boriquén. Christopher Columbus first landed on the island in 1493, claiming it for Spain. Under Spanish rule, the Taino population declined due to European diseases and mistreatment. The Spanish then brought in enslaved people from Africa to work in mines and plantations.134
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