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Cuban facts

By Smitsel
  • Mar 15, 1494

    Christopher Columbus discovers Cuba

    Christopher Columbus discovers Cuba
    The discovery of cuba was an accident. Christopher Columbus discovered Cuba when he was trying to find America. He claimed it for Spain and Spain took over in 1511
  • Period: Jan 1, 1538 to Dec 31, 1538

    French pirates burn Havana

    French pirates, with the help of rebel slaves, burn the city of Havana. There are six Christian towns in Cuba at this time: Santiago (80 houses), Havana (between 70 – 80 homes), Baracoa, Puerto Príncipe, Santi Spíritus, and Bayamo with 30-40 homes each
  • U.S FAILS

    U.S FAILS
    The US tried to invade Cuba several times but failed in attempt. In 1848, they decided to give up and offered Spain $100 million dollars for Cuba, but the offer was rejected.
  • 1st War of Independence

    1st War of Independence
    The Ten-Years War / The Big War (1868-1878) The Ten Years War (also known as The Big War) began on 10 October 1868 under the leadership of the attorney Carlos Manuel de Céspedes and seconded by a group of patriots in the sugar mill La Demajagua, calling for liberty and independence
  • Slavery is abolished

    Slavery is abolished
    slaves who fought on either side of the war were set free, but those who did not fight had to endure almost another decade of slavery.On October 7 1886, slavery was finally abolished in Cuba by a royal decree that also made the patronato illegal.
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    2nd war of independence

    The 2nd war of independence began in 1895. The army consisted of only 80,000 troops. A huge amount of troops (around 35,000 - 50,000) were slaves volunteered by their owners to fight in the war.
  • Cuba and the Spanish-American War

    Cuba and the Spanish-American War
    Cuba was controlled by Spain in the 1800s and they didn't take to kindly to it. Cubans began fleeing to America because they didn’t like the Spanish control. America declared war on Spain after one of their ships exploded in a Cuban port. The Americans won the war and took control of Puerto Rico, the Philippine Islands, and Guam, Cuba was spared American control.
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    Cuba in World War I

    After cuba had entered World War I, the immediately ran into several issues. The first being the cuban bond issue. Where $30,000,000 had to be borrowed from bonds. Then Cuba ran into trouble getting their troops over there. The US helped transport Cuba troops. The only real fight Cuba had was against Austria Hungar, which ended on April 7 1917
  • Communism Begins in Cuba

    Communism Begins in Cuba
    In 1923 Communism began in cuba, although it didn't gain steam until 1925 when the Communist party was establised it is still worth mentioning that Communism in Cuba dates back decades before the cuban missle crisis.
  • Gerardo Machado Establishes a Dictatorship

    Gerardo Machado Establishes a Dictatorship
    After being elected the 5th president of Cuba, Gerardo went on to burn his past criminal records, amend the constitution so terms were 6 years, and , through bribes and death threats, ran unopposed for his second term.
  • Cuba in world war 2

    Cuba in world war 2
    Cuba joined WW 2 in 1940, but offered little military support rather they took many Jewish refuges. When the Germans were exporting the Jews they went to Belgium and France, both of which were concurred so Cuba saved many Jews by taking them in, something America and England were not willing to do at the time
  • Batista takes power

    Batista takes power
    In 1952, Batista ran for presidency. All the indications showed that he would lose and some of the polls put the former Cuban leader last. Such a humiliation would have ended any chance of attaining his former power. To avoid such humiliation, Batista put himself at the head of another military coup. On March 10th 1952 this proved to be successful and the US quickly recognised both his positioning office and his government on March 27th. Batista now held the self-appointed rank of General. Once
  • Castro Over Throws Batista

    Castro Over Throws Batista
    Fidel Castro’s 26th of July Movement, Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista flees the island nation.The United States government had supported the American-friendly Batista regime since it came to power in 1952. After Fidel Castro, together with a handful of supporters that included the professional revolutionary Che Guevara, landed in Cuba to unseat Batista in December 1956, the U.S. continued to support Batista.
  • Batista falls from power

    Batista falls from power
    After the first attempt to overthrow batista failed, Batista got over confident. He released castro and the other assailants from prison and let them be. After that, castro led another attack towards batista, this time forcing him to flee from cuba.
  • Cuban embargo

    Cuban embargo
    The United States embargo against Cuba is a commercial, economic, and financial embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba. An embargo was first imposed by the United States on Cuba on 19 October 1960 when the US placed an embargo on exports to Cuba except for food and medicine after Cuba nationalized American-owned Cuban oil refineries without compensation.
    ( Embargo : a government order that limits trade in some way)
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    Bay of Pigs

    The bay of pigs was an invasion by the U.S. Using Cuban refugees as the backbone of assault, In order to over through the Cuban government. It lasted 3 days before the attack failed and the Cubans excuted all the attackers.
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    Cuban Missle Crisis

    During the Cuban Missile Crisis, leaders of the U.S. and the Soviet Union engaged in a tense, 13-day political and military standoff in October 1962 over the installation of nuclear-armed Soviet missiles on Cuba, just 90 miles from U.S. shores. In a TV address on October 22, 1962, President John Kennedy (1917-63) notified Americans about the presence of the missiles, explained his decision to enact a naval blockade around Cuba and made it clear the U.S. was prepared to use military force if nece
  • Communist Party Legalized

    Communist Party Legalized
    On October 3 1965 the Communist party was formed, although Communist actions began in 1923 the actual party came around a lot later.
  • U.S SHIP

    U.S SHIP
    One of our US ships “Maine” was blown up in the Havana Harbor in 1898. The cause of the explosion is still undertmined but yet the event killed over 250 men, sparked the beginning of the Spanish-American War.
  • End of Soviet Union

    End of Soviet Union
    The collapse of the Soviet Union had a colossal effect on the Cuban economy. The many trade ties and agreements keeping Cuba’s income stable dissolved and left Cuba moneyless.
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    The Pope visits Cuba

    John Paul the second made visit January 21-25. This was the first time he had visited a communist nation. Administration welcomed the visit, but says it will not reverse the U.S. economic embargo against Cuba.
  • Felipe Perez roque

    Felipe Perez roque
    Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. In short, this means all Cuban citizens are entitled to freedom, education, health, etc.
  • Cubans Allowed to Leave

    Cubans Allowed to Leave
    The immigration restriction is finally lifted for those with a passport. Cuba can still stop people from leaving the island, however this signifies a new beginning for Cuba.
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    Obama and Castro re - establish diplomatic ties

    After roughly 50 years, Cuba and America reestablish the embargo. In exchange for releasing war prisoners, both sides have agreed to open trade between them.