Essay about History of Religion in Communist Cuba

The Cuban Revolution was touchy topic for the United States and Cuba. America’s alienation of Cuba didn’t help when communism from the USSR was brewing over the revolution. When the revolution gained Castro as its leader, the worry and hatred from the United States was unbearable, especially when the Soviet Union landed in Cuba to interest Castro in its aid. The US’s fear of communism, Fidel Castro, and aid from the Soviet Union was significant because it changed the US’s political role in Cuba during the Cuban Revolution.

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.

During the Cold War, relations between Cuba and the United States were icy. Cuba was allied with the USSR, America’s enemy, and was well within their sphere of influence. With events like the failed Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis happening on their soil, Cuba was at the center of the Cold War. Between ideological differences and their alliance with Russia, Cuba became an enemy of America as well. It took the efforts of ten American presidents, six Popes, and countless other actors, but Cuba and America are finally in the process of normalizing relations. There is still work to be done, but the path is clear and the time is right. However, one cannot simply ignore the last fifty years. In that time, millions of lives were affected by the lack of social, economic, and political ties between the U.S. and Cuba. In this paper, I will analyze the last fifty years of U.S. - Cuban relations by looking at the involved actors, their means, and their values and interests through the lenses of two paradigms, realism and constructivism.

While it is true that there is an overall decline in Christianity and religion in the west, there is a large influx of it in places such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Why is this the case? To answer this question, some background information on the spread if Christianity itself is helpful. After the crucifixion and death of Jesus, many of his followers, such as the apostle Peter, went out throughout parts of Europe, Asia, and reportedly parts of Africa to spread the word about him. The Apostle Paul was perhaps the greatest these in his many missionary trips throughout Asia and Europe. While Christianity was heavily persecuted in the Roman Empire under Emperors such as Nero, it managed to spread reasonably well. Christianity was popular

Buried in the culture and history of Cuba lies the religious traditions that have blended into the creation of Santeria. Santeria is a complex religion made up of West African, Caribbean, and Roman Catholic influences blurred into one. In Santeria the practices and beliefs are passed down from generation to generation through the use of "patakis." The "patakis" were parables used by Santeria followers to provide guidance and insight to those in need of advice. One of the most famous patakis is the story of the relationship between Chango and Yemaya. This pataki can be found in Romulo Lachatanere's collection, Afro-Cuban Myths: Yemaya and Other Orishas. Chango and Yemaya are orishas in the Santeria religion. The relationship between Chango and Yemaya can be seen in The Messenger's main characters, Aida and Enrico. Yemaya's confusion between motherly love and being Chango's lover, shapes their "children's" relationship, as Aida and Enrico's relationship also change in a similar manner.

He had no argument with wanting to help others, Raul … Families giving clothing, food, money, and, sometimes, a job in the household or in a business” (Hijuelos 261). These conditions are what drove and increased Cuban culture’s impact on American

On January 8th, 1959, Fidel Castro and his rebel army marched triumphantly into Havana, Cuba, having overthrown corrupt dictator Fulgencio Batista the week earlier. It was the fruition of the Cuban Revolution, and the dramatic shift in power was about to radically alter the country’s political, social and economic course forever. The positive and negative effects of the revolution on the Cuban people, however, as well as the condition of Cuba’s economy pre and post-revolution, is subject to heated debate. Castro’s iron-fisted regime was the introduction of communism into the western hemisphere, and now, over fifty years later, the Cuban Revolution continues to be one of the most controversial events of the twentieth century. Despite the criticism levelled at Fidel Castro and his communist regime, however, the Cuban Revolution was necessary in improving the quality of life for the majority of Cuban citizens. The four fundamental categories on which to assess this are healthcare, education, economy and governance. By comparing the country’s overall performance under Fulgencio Batista versus under Fidel Castro in these areas crucial to a fully-functioning nation, it can be shown that the Cuban Revolution was a necessary and positive change in Cuban society which benefitted the majority of citizens.

Most of the Cubans are generally Roman Catholics; however this trend has been greatly modified to “syncretism” by a huge amount of support since Catholicism’s early introduction into Cuban’s history.

Jane Landers “Catholic Conspirators? Religious Rebels in Nineteenth-Century Cuba”, offers a fascinating view of the intricacies and importance of the Catholic Church’s extraordinary accounts and documentation, which provides details and insight into some of the most important slave, revolts, rebellions and conspiracies within free black communities in Cuba. While these documents offer important information, they also became objects deportation for some and subsequently, a death sentence for others.

In the Treaty of Paris of 1898, Spain relinquished all sovereignty over Cuba. For a time, the policy of the United States toward Cuba was somewhat ambivalent. The Teller Amendment at the beginning of the Spanish-American War had pledged the restoration of Cuba to the Cubans. However, at the same time the United States was determined that it would not be placed after the war with Spain in a worse position in regard to its vital interests in Cuba than it had been when Cuba was a Spanish possession.

Current events in Cuba have caught a lot of attention, as we witness a historical shift in

In this talk there were three new books in history discussed. These books were Antiracism in Cuba, Voodoo and Power, and Democracy’s Muse. The first book presented was Antiracism in Cuba. This book analyzes the race issue in Cuba under Castro’s rule. Cuba believes itself to be a “race less” country; however, the Cuban community only acknowledges itself as white. For Afro-Cubans to be considered Cuban they must lose their “blackness”. The author, Devyn Spence Benson, writes about the battle of the Afro-Cuban community trying to gain freedom and respect.

The history of Cuba has gone through many dramatic changes affecting not only the economy but the citizens as well. On January 1st, 1969 Dictator Fulgenico Batiste (Fidel Castro) fled the Island of Cuba, with his revolutionaries seizing control with the U.S backing the situation. This caused chaos and excitement in Havana, rumbling the idea of "anti-americanism." This relates back to the conflict theory, as this had a great impact on the citizens of Cuba, causing more hate on america and its people causing conflict and negativity. Within all of this chaos with Fidel Castro and Cuba’s people, America still supported the Island of Cuba. As time passed this situation caused great suspicion as the US was not sure of Castro’s intentions and his leftist ideology, thinking this would lead to an attack from Castro on US investments and properties in Cuba. American officials were nearly unanimous opposing Castro’s revolutionary movement.

“The difficulties of creating and maintaining maroon societies in the colonial slave systems of the Americas required the full range of the collective experiences of Africans from a variety of cultures who had to adapt themselves not only to a challenging environment but also to a new social community that could range from newly arrived Africans to highly acculturated Creoles” “In Cuban slave society people from all the African ethnic groups were divided into naciones (nations) upon their arrival”. These divisions were unreliable and inexact as they often referred to the ports of embarkation rather than the place of origin. Religious indoctrination in Cuba was sporadic. Religious instruction in the countryside was lax, this was where the majority of the slaves were. The Catholic Church was weaker in Cuba, there was less religiosity primarily because of the “secular, cosmopolitan, port city of Havana”. Spain was indifferent to the colony, matched by the Church’s disinterest in organization. Conflict with plantation owners unwilling to grant slaves time for religious activities. Majority of the Spanish settlers to the “New world” adapted a folk practice incorporating Catholicism. “Two types of Catholicism resulted: the Catholicism of the priests and that of the people”. As well, “The Cuban Catholic Church sponsored religious cabildos for the purpose of evangelization through a policy of ‘guided change,’ tolerating those African values that could be reinterpreted within Catholicism and radically opposing those that could not”. These were mutual aid societies – Church sponsored cabildos were built around the cofradias – “groups gathered to assist one another in times of need and to worship their patron saint”. These were initially developed with the idea of controlling the slaves and enforcing conversion through “guided change”.