Cuba's Colonial History

Cuban history, like many other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean which have experienced colonial subjugation and imperial interference, is highlighted by tumultuous rebellions. Ever since the revolt of Carlos Manuel de Cespedes in 1868, who took up arms with his slaves to liberate Cuba from Spain’s colonial grasp, the existence of insurrectionists and adamant government opposition in Cuba has flourished. Social revolution and a strong will and practice of nationalism has indelibly characterized Cuban history. Nevertheless, the outcomes of particular movements and struggles for social justice have consistently frustrated revolutionary and radical leaders. Government regimes throughout

During the 1950’s, Cuba was on the brink of revolution. The nation, which had suffered numerous corrupt and oppressive governmental regimes, fell victim to yet another when Fulgencio Batista seized power under a military coup in March of 1952. A cry for a just Cuba, that was economically, politically, and socially free continued to echo throughout the island. In 1959, a group of radical revolutionaries, under the leadership of Fidel Castro, overthrew the Batista dictatorship and put in place the political and social structures that exist in Cuba to this day.

To begin, it is important to know about the history of Cuba to fully comprehend how things came to be as they are today. Since the Conquest and Colonization Era (1492-1898), many of the prominent European countries and the powerful neighbor to the north of Cuba, the United States of America, have attempted to take control of the land. It first began with the Spanish conquistadors, specifically Diego Velázquez, who was the first to explore and settle the land. Up until the end of the 19th century, the Spanish monarch was the authoritative figure overseeing the land and

The forth aspect of the Afro-Cuban experience which Helg mentions is the formation of the first black political party in the hemisphere, which, as I will address later, was destroyed between 1910-1912. When it is finally destroyed in 1912, official antiblack violence is what destroys it, and Helg shows that as the fifth particularity of the Cuban case. Lastly, Helg discusses the reconciliation of the "democratic ideologies versus racist practices" contradiction in Cuba for her final aspect of uniqueness. This last characteristic which Helg mentions played a huge role in the maintenance of racial hierarchies in Cuba.

Arguably the most prolific figure in Cuban history, Jose Martí’s image is projected everywhere from monuments to money in small villages and big cities. His legacy has been used as a pillar for countless political parties since his death, as his words have been tailored and framed to align with various parties’ beliefs. The structure and practices of the 1959 revolutionary government do not coincide with Martí’s vision for Cuba on a political, economic and social level. Martí believed in democratic principles as well as equality and independence for all of Cuba, and since the Castro regime assumed power in 1959, Cuba experienced economic ruin, oppression of its citizens and political dictatorship due to the negligence of said principles. Although

Therefore, for the purpose of this essay, we will define “increased Spanish autonomy” in terms of the increased influx of Spanish citizens into Cuba seeking to exploit sugar production for financial gains. This definition will also explore the increased taxes and impositions placed on Cuba as a result of its increased importance to the Spanish empire as a sugar exporter and revenue producing colony. This is a change from its less significant economic role before the

The second half of the 19th Century bore witness to an explosion of imperial and colonial movement by western nations in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The rapid growth of countries’ colonial possessions spurred intense competition between nations for more land, labor, and resources. The responses of the colonized native peoples in these diverse lands varied from voluntary compliance to bloody rebellions against their foreign oppressors. One of the most fascinating case studies to examine in this turbulent time period was the Spanish imperial presence in Cuba, and the shifts in the Cuban response as the nature and policies of the Spanish rule changed as well. To fully explore the Cuban relationship with western colonization, it was critical

The recordings from Havana have been sent for analysis to the U.S. Navy, which has advanced capabilities for analyzing acoustic signals, and to the intelligence services, the AP has learned. But the recordings have not significantly advanced U.S. knowledge about what is harming diplomats.

In 1855 Spanish conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar began permanent settlement on the northern coast of Cuba with 300 men and their slaves. Five years after their arrival they had split our home country into seven sectors: Havana (La Habana), Puerto Príncipe, Santiago de Cuba, and Sancti Spíritus. Each had its own council that governed its affairs which resulted in a divided government and laid crucial behind the reasoning in which why did not have a proper representation in the voting of official affairs. However, Cuba became a key place for explorers o advance their knowledge of the land, thus, resulting in a vast amount different ethnic groups beginning to occupy not only our homeland but our workforce as well. “By 1570 most residents

Perhaps the most well known aspect of Cuba is its government. Cuba is socialist republic that is controlled by the Cuban Communist Party, which is currently headed by Raul Castro12. The head of the communist party is responsible for selecting twenty-five individuals to lead the programs. This group then creates organizations that encompass every demographic of Cuban society, over 80% of the Cuba’s population is a member of one of these groups and, in turn, these organizations allow Cuba to spread Communist rhetoric more quickly27. Encompassing the rest of the Executive branch is a Council of Ministers and Council of State. The Council of Ministers is basically Cuba’s cabinet, which has the basic task of implementing policy created by the National

During the Cold War, nearly all countries in Latin America, following the cue of the United States, contributed to Cuba’s isolation . However, when the Cold War ended, the significance of Cuba as a nation hostile to America diminished tremendously. The continuation of the hostility between Cuba and the United States even after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War was extraordinary and abnormal. In this regard, realism and constructivism are the two theories that seem the most plausible at explaining the rapprochement of the relations between the two nations. Rather than confronting the two theories, this paper acknowledges the importance of both in explaining the

Recently, the relationship between Cuba and the United States has been a leading story in the news. It has been reported that the U.S. government is heading towards normalization with the tiny island country. This is in contrast to the history of the two countries. Beginning directly after the communist revolution in Cuba, which began in the late 1950’s, the two countries halted all diplomatic relations. Additionally, the conditions in Cuba worsened, and the economy crashed. Since 1980, hundreds of thousands have left due to the horrible circumstances. Led by Fidel Castro, the communist revolution in Cuba has been a failure because the standard of living collapsed and continues to fall behind other countries.

This week’s readings followed the perspectives of the United States and Cuba through multiple transitions of power throughout the mid-20th century and late 21st century. U.S. policies implemented by the various presidents over this sixty-year span were unable to solve previous hegemonic and interventionist ideologies. On the other hand, Cuba pre- and post-Cold War was a growing power that gave voice and representation to nations who had been previously colonized and dominated by bigger superpowers. Cuba wanted to end ties with the United States, a nation who had been instrumental in preventing their goals and fight for their struggles. Fidel Castro represented the legitimacy of Cuban goals and pursuits of nationalism across the world. On the

In the 1820s, when other colonies in Latin America rebelled and finally gained independence from the control of Spain, Cubans remain loyalty to the Spanish colonizers. Partly because the Cuban settlers’ dependence on Spain for trade and the need for continuous protection from pirates and slave rebellion; partly because they feared the rising power of United States more than they disliked Spanish rule. At that time, Cuba continuously conveys sugar, coffee and tobacco to Europe and American. It is difficult for Cuban slave owners to give up the use of slaves, since slavery was the economic foundation for the farming and mining industry. Therefore, until 1880’s, Cuba achieved the total abolition of slavery. Although there was a strong link between slavery and profitability, as the economic and social conditions change overtime, the slavery, began to create a set of insoluble contradictions that made it irrational and dangerous for the exploiting class itself. This long process led to the fall of the nineteenth century slave system in Cuba, and finally, abolish.

Cuba’s efforts to become an independent republic were ingrained with complex perceptions of its revolution—from within and outside Cuba. From the beginning of Cuba’s struggle, there were conflicting views on revolution. Unlike other colonies Cuban “elites opted to maintain the colonial bond with Spain” (Ferrer 23). This decision seems to ascended from one significant factor in the Cuban struggle, race. In attempts to avoid an outcome similar to Haiti, Cuban Creoles opted to preserve colonial ties, and in the process preserving slavery. This opposing view point continued into later “race blind” insurgent movements. These paradoxical insurgent movements show hints of inequality: degree holding whites were awarded officer status automatically