1. History of Cuba

2. 1492-1902 1492: 1 st 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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