NewsTracker Answers for week of Nov. 12, 2012

Q: On Election Day, voters in Puerto Rico supported a non-binding referendum to become a full U.S. state, a move that would require approval from Congress. Where is Puerto Rico on this map?

Circle the area on this map


Q: Puerto Rico is a . . .

A. U.S. ally

B. U.S. territory

C. U.S. tributary

D. U.S. reservation


B. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory with commonwealth status. The U.S. Congress allows Puerto Ricans to elect their governor and legislators. They are U.S. citizens subject to laws passed by Congress but do not have any voting representatives in Congress.


Q: Where else can't U.S. citizens vote for congressional representatives?

A. Indian reservations

B. Military bases

C. Washington, D.C.

D. All of the above


C. Unlike residents of territories, people in Washington, D.C., can vote for president. But, like the territories they have no voting representation in Congress.


Q: Puerto Rico is the smallest of the Greater Antilles islands. What is the largest island in the group?

A. Jamaica

B. Bermuda

C. Cuba

D. Hispaniola


C. Cuba is the largest of the four Greater Antilles islands, which also include Jamaica and Hispaniola. The Dominican Republic and Haiti share Hispaniola.


Q: What is the capitol of Puerto Rico -- the second oldest European-established city in the Americas?

A. Havana

B. Kingston

C. Santo Domingo

D. San Juan


D. San Juan was founded by Spanish colonists in 1521.That was 25 years after the founding of Santo Domingo, which is now the capitol of the Dominican Republic. Havana is the capitol of Cuba, and Kingston is Jamaica's capitol,