1. Fidel Castro & The Cuban Revolution Aim: How did Fidel Castro come to power? & What does Cuba look like today?

2. Cuba Cuba is only 90 miles away from the tip of Florida.

3. Cuban Revolution 1950s-> The island nation of Cuba faced huge problems in the economy. Mostly American companies owned the sugar plantations in Cuba. The dictator at this time was Fulgencio Batista who the Americans supported. His tactics were very harsh, leaving the people of Cuba generally poor and unemployed. Many lived in shacks and lacked health care.

4. The OAS After WWII the United Sates wanted to keep communism out of the Western Hemisphere. Joined the Organization of American States (OAS). Members pledged to promote democracy and human rights. Each nation promised to stay out of affair's of the others.

5. Fidel Castro A young lawyer who led a revolt against Batista, eventually overthrowing him. Know as the People’s Revolution. Castro set up a Communist government, making radical changes to the economy. Castro turned to the Soviet Union for economic and military help.

6. Cuban Missile Crisis-1962 On October 14, 1962 an American U-2 spy plane flying over Cuba captured pictures of long range Soviet missiles in Cuba. This was a crisis like never before. These missiles could reach any point of the United States with nuclear warheads causing mass destruction. He also said that any attack on the US from Cuba would be considered an act of war from the Soviet Union.

7. United States Reaction The United States saw Cuba as a major threat and placed a travel embargo on Cuba. This nearly wrecked the island’s economy. Bay of Pigs Invasion: US government (CIA) helped train Cubans to revolt against Castro, but the people remained loyal to Castro and invasion failed.

8. Intervention Intervention: involvement in Latin America. United States decides to interne in Latin America when Castro decided to start revolts in other lands. United States sent money, arms, and troops helped crush communist rebels. At times, the aid went to harsh, non-communist rulers. Many people spoke out against the United States policy.

9. Cuba Today Gross annual income per person is around 5,890 dollars.

10. Cuba Today Fidel Castro’s presidency ended in 2008. His brother Raul Castro is the current president of communist Cuba. Recently President Obama met with Raul Castro and moved Cuba off the Terrorism watch list. Opening up relations between United States and Cuba.