1. To explain the strategic importance of Puerto Rico as part of Spain's plan to defend its empire in the Caribbean; 2. To understand the evolution of the Spanish strongholds, in particular San Juan's development from a primitive post to a "plaza fuerte" or stronghold; 3. To examine how the 1898 Treaty of Paris affected Puerto Rico; 4. To learn how historic structures provide a link between the "old" and the "new;” 5. To investigate a historic site in their community.
Recommended level: Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
1. Puerto Rico and Spain's Caribbean Empire
2. The 1898 Treaty of Paris and Puerto Rico
3. Historic Structures as Living Links