More help needed: about Dominican history

mariel

Dominisueca
Apr 7, 2004
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As part of one of my classes i'm doing a paper about DR. One of the things i'd like to mention is the many "firsts" we have, that is the first cathedral, the first university, etc. One thing i *can't* seem to find and/or remember is this: as far as i know, the first city of the new world was La Isabela, and then what happened? Why did SD become the first city in the world? Is it that a hurricane came and destroyed La Isabela or was it due to fights between tainos and spaniors.

One more thing, i think i may be leaving something about our firsts. So far i have: first city, cathedral, hospital, mass, university and *arzobispado* of the new world. Something tells me that i'm missing something, can anyone enlighten me?

I don't want to go too deep into history because i'm supposed to not talk more than 5 mins, so i need this short.

Thanks in advance
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
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La Isabela was the first European settlement in the New World, not city. I think Santo Domingo could get the credit for being the first city.
 

mariel

Dominisueca
Apr 7, 2004
514
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thanks Dolores, that explains a lot of my confusions :)

another question i have: i've got some touristic brochures (including la cotica) from the tourist board here in stockholm, and they all say different things about zona colonial. one says it was declared by UNESCO as world heritage, one says it was as world cultural heritage and the other one says "property of humanity". which one is correct? and i thought it was in 1992 (as some websites i've read say) not 1990 (which all three magazines have in common).

Dolores said:
La Isabela was the first European settlement in the New World, not city. I think Santo Domingo could get the credit for being the first city.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
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mariel said:
thanks Dolores, that explains a lot of my confusions :)

another question i have: i've got some touristic brochures (including la cotica) from the tourist board here in stockholm, and they all say different things about zona colonial. one says it was declared by UNESCO as world heritage, one says it was as world cultural heritage and the other one says "property of humanity". which one is correct? and i thought it was in 1992 (as some websites i've read say) not 1990 (which all three magazines have in common).

See http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31

The Colonial City of Santo Domingo is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites as of 1990.
 

principe

Member
Nov 19, 2002
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Also the first street in the Western Hemisphere, Calle de Las Damas (Street of the Ladies), and Christopher Columbus' remains are in Santo Domingo. 1992 was the Quincentennial of the discovery of the New World, 1990 was the year Unesco made S.D. international patrimony.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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Also first municipal council (Ayuntamiento)

It was also the site of the first "repartimiento", where the local Taino indians were shared out or distributed to the various gentlemen from Spain as workers.

Also the first sugar mill, the first ginger farms, the first gold mines.

Sadly the first wars on indians.

HB