History of Cuba

1492-1902 1492: 1st European to get there

was Columbus Became a Spanish colony for

many centuries African slaves worked on coffee

and sugar plantations 1898: Cubans overthrew Spanish

rule with the help of the US in the Spanish-American War

1901: Platt Amendment US got a naval base in Cuba

(Guantanamo Bay) Cuba’s right to negotiate treaties

was limited 1902: Cuban independence

1902-1959 Corrupt governments: 1902-1959 Plantations, refineries, railroads,

and factories passed to American ownership b/c Americans invested in them

US supported the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista until 1959

Jan. 1959: Fidel Castro became leader of Cuba Hailed as a “liberator” Communist

Castro: 1959-1961 Anti-American America imposed

sanctions on Cuba 1961: Bay of Pigs

U.S. equipped/trained a rebel army of Cubans

Invaded Southern Cuba, poor planning and lack of U.S. support = HUGE DEFEAT

Prompted Castro to ally with U.S.S.R.

Cuban Missile Crisis

Cuban Missile Crisis 1962 U.S.S.R. placed nuclear

missiles in Cuba U.S. was hours away from

launching nukes Agreement: Missiles taken

out of Cuba, U.S. took its missiles out of Turkey

Cuba Today

Allies with China and Venezuela (trading partners) Raul Castro is the leader Communist-run and reporters have to follow what

the government says Cuban population in Miami, FL: people send money

home to Cuba to families Prostitution, corruption, black marketeering and

desperate efforts to escape in search of a better life b/c lack of jobs

Human rights violations