Tag Archives: Dominican Republic

First permanent European settlement in the New World

The first permanent settlement in the New World was Isabella on the island of Hispaniola (in present-day Dominican Republic). This first bit of real estate was built in 1493 by Columbus’s crew on his second voyage. Disease and hunger decimated this first settlement and in 1496, Columbus had his men build another town which became Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic capital today. The first permanent English settlement was Jamestown, Virginia in April, 1607. John Smith and George Percy were the most notable chroniclers of the Continue reading →

First University in the New World

The Universidad Santo Tomás de Aquino (or University of Saint Thomas Aquinas) in present-day Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) was the first university in the New World. Founded as a seminary for Roman Catholic monks of the Dominican Order in 1518, it was made a university by a papal bill on October 28, 1538. But the school was not officially recognized by the Spanish Court until a Royal Decree was granted in 1558. The university closed in 1823 but was revived nearly a hundred years later, Continue reading →

Longest marathon reading aloud by a team

The longest marathon reading aloud by a team was 365 hr 00 min 39 sec and was achieved by Martha Esther Madera Báez, Carlos José Reyes, Randolfo Ariostto Jiménez Pérez, Cristian Rodríguez Morrobel, and José Manuel Bueno Grullón (all Dominican Republic) and organized by the Ministerio de la Juventud in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from 7 to 23 July 2011. Visitors to the group included President Leonel Fernández, first lady Dra. Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, vice president Dr. Rafael Alburquerque, president of the senate Dr. Continue reading →