1. Discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492
2. Served primarily as stop over for the Spanish treasure fleet
1. Cuba remained a reject due to its lack of precious metals and a large indigenous population to exploit.
3. It had few slaves (due to lack of coloured inhabitants. 40000=1/10 that of Haiti)

1. 2^nd half of 18^th century brought massive change.
1. Spurred by short British occupation of Havana (1762)
2. Stimulated by the independence of the USA (1783)

Þ Commercial awakening.

2. Rose to major sugar producer and slave imported
1. Haitian Revolution (1790’s) had ruined its sugar production
2. 600,000 African slaves arrived in Cuba, (population rose from 171,620 to 1,396,530)
3. Rise in economic and social status brought influx of new technology and capital
4. Economic boom delayed rebellion against Spanish rule that swept America.
1. Stayed loyal to Spain during Spanish-American wars of independence
5. Discontent:
1. Grew among slaves and free blacks.
1. Due to increasingly harsh plantation system
2. Major slave rebellions (led by free blacks) erupted 1810, 1812, 1844
2. Also developed in the rows of the wealthy landowners:
1. Due to the arbitrary ways of the corrupt Spanish officialdom
6. Þ The Colony became increasingly dissatisfied with repressive Spanish rule
1. Became less dependent on mother country
1. By 1776:
1. 1/3 import from British colonies
2. _ exports to British colonies
3. After American independence Cuba relied more upon them as a market. Growing economic ties with USA
7. Increasing dissatisfaction heightened by developing national and class-consciousness, especially in the elite.
1. A weak Spanish government and beginning economic repression (1860’s) heightened these feelings:
1. Rejection of reform proposals by the landowner elite.

Þ Peaked in the declaration of independence on October 10^th 1968 in the small town of Yara and initiated a ten year struggle:

1. Long lasting and devastating guerrilla struggle which ended in 1878 with Cuban’s accepted peace treaty that allowed concessions but withheld independence (The Pact of Zanjón)
1. The Spanish crown had sent 10x as many troops as it sent to all of S. America (1810-1828) desperate to retain the last colony in the new world
2. Some rebel leaders did not agree to it:
1. It did not fulfil main goals of independence:
1. Independence
2. Abolition of Slavery
2. Black revolutionary Antonio Maceo, also "Bronze Titan" for example.
3. The Spanish Crown did abolish slavery in 1880 (finalised 1888):
1. Hoped to win the support of the Blacks
2. Removed the last remaining factor determining loyalty of the landowners to the Spanish Crown.
2. With the gradual evaporation of Spanish and landowning interests on the Cuban economy and society the USA began to become increasingly important:
1. Many North Americans came to Cuba to control their investments
2. The McKinley Tariff Act of 1890 abolished import duties on raw sugar and molasses and thereby greatly increased American influence in Cuba:
1. By 1896:
1. US interests had invested $50 million into Cuba
2. US interests controlled the sugar industry
2. By 1890:
1. 1/10 of all products imported into the US came from Cuba
2. 87% of all Cuban exports went to the USA
3. This newly found American-Cuban relationship also had its negative sides: In brought with it an increasing concentration on sugar production.

1. During the 1890’s the revolutionary movement revived, due to worldwide depression, which struck Cuba especially hard:
2. "Spiritual, intellectual and organizational" leader: José Martí (1853 — 1895)
1. Arrested 1869 for supporting 1986 revolt:
1. Sentenced to six years of hard labour
2. Sent into exile in 1971
2. Lived in New York 1880 — 1894
3. Wanted to unite Cuban émigré revolutionary groups:
1. Founded the Cuban Revolutionary Party (El Partido Revolucionario Cubano)
1. Aim: Complete Cuban independence & aiding Puerto Rican independence
4. Recruited military veterans of 1868 as Máximo Gómez or Antonio Maceo:
1. To prepare invasion
5. Martí landed on the Cuba beach with group of insurgence in April 1895
6. Killed Mai 1985 in a skirmish with Spanish patrol.
3. However, there was some success after Martí’s death — with guerrilla tactics.
4. A new Spanish commander, General Veleriando Weyer way sent to Cuba
1. Set up harsh counter-rebellion measures (free-fire zones, Concentration Camps)
1. Measures were counter-productive. Intensified popular hatred.
2. The failure of the measures and growing pressure from the US led:

Þ Spain made the promise of autonomy to Cuba in late 1897!

1. The US became increasingly anxious about loss of their influence as struggle continued and that the situation was getting out of control:
1. Thought that the rebels might take control, who would be unmanageable
2. The U.S.S Maine blew up in Havana Harbour February 15^th, 1898
3. There was great coverage of the Cuban struggle in the American press:
1. Especially the working class supported it.
2. Þ Led McKinley to demand that Spain may:
1. Terminate the concentration camp policy
2. Offer an armistice to the rebels
3. Accept the United States as a final arbiter between the parties.
3. Spain waited with reply:
1. Congress authorised military intervention
1. Against the wish of Cuban revolutionary leaders, how sought:
1. An American acceptance of an revolutionary Cuba
2. The right to purchase weapons
4. Þ Short and nasty war (Spanish American War started)followed
1. American military actions were ill prepares
2. American military relegated Cuban soldiers to cleaning up
3. Spanish could have won:
1. Had already given up at beginning
2. Had de-motivated soldiers
3. Tried to minimize losses
4. American military picked fruits from Cuban Guerrilla fighting which had lasted three years
5. Cuban leaders were excluded from councils and peace negotiations
1. Foreshadowed American-Cuban relationship.

1. The Occupation had three major goals:
1. First: The US wanted to make Cuba into a self-governing protectorate
1. Achieve political stability without the burdens and costs of colonial occupation
2. The Cuban army stayed submissive to American take-over
1. Leaders of rebels were tired, old or killed in war
2. US bought of Cuba by offering to buy weapons
3. Offered key-rebels well paid positions
2. Second: The US wanted to repair war-damage
1. Created good sanitation system (General Leonard Wood, app. 1899)
1. Wood ignored the revolutionaries in favour of conservative planters, who were opposed to independence.
2. Defeated yellow fever
2. Created educational system
1. Superior to Spanish system, based on American one

Þ All paid for by the Cuban treasury, even the expenses of American army.

3. First elections, for a convention, took place in June 1899 (met Nov.):
1. American pressure forced to include ‘Platt-amendment’:
1. Limited ability to conduct foreign policy & borrow aboard
2. Gave US right to maintain naval base
3. Gave US right to intervene with dodgy ends
2. End product accepted only after much discussion
4. Third goal: To absorb Cuban in to the American economic sphere:
1. Platt Amendment allowed favourable trade terms to American business men in Cuba
2. A second agreement in 1903 completed American economic domination (20% of Sugar tariffs to America, reduced tariffs from US)

1. Tomás Estrada Palma first elected Cuban president in 1901
1. Took office May 1902 as Americans left
2. Government scandal ridden:
1. Elections to Congress were fraudulent and violent (1904)
2. 1905, Estrada was revolted with fraud system and no opposition
3. Liberal Party, under José Miguel Gómez, staged revolt, summer 1906
1. Estrada, unable to control it called for American intervention
2. American intervention; occurred under William Howard Taft
1. Charles Magoon, a Minnesotan judge was appointed head of provisional American government
2. Power was divided between parties
1. Institutionalised corruption
3. Standing army way created
4. National Consciousness and rebellion against foreign control decreased
1. Due to corruption, which elite wanted to keep
5. Liberal Party won presidential elections 1908
1. US withdrew April 1^st 1909
2. Re-established lottery, legalised cockfighting
3. Conservatives now under General Menocal won 1912 &1916
1. Continued corruption: amassed $40m in two terms
2. Closely linked to American Economic interest, after having managed American sugar farm
3. Liberals rebelled again, against Menocal’s re-election, in 1917
1. US wouldn’t permit disturbance and intervened
1. Remained until 1923
4. Liberal Alfredo Zayas won presidency 1920
1. Crash of sugar prices brought economic problems
5. US General Enoc Crowder sent to Cuba as special representative Jan. 1921
1. In effect ruled Cuba until 1923
2. Became Ambassador after that
6. American in tight control
1. Every time, violence was threatened US intervened and restored order
1. During minor black rebellion 1912 in Oriente Province
2. As the losers of presidential elections staged or threatened rebellions four times from 1902 to 1924 (1908, 1917, 1919, 1921)

Þ Tried to prevent property loss

7. Cuban nationalism revived in last two years of Zayas administration
1. Consequence of Cuban sugar
1. This was due to foreign domination and monoculture
2. Students started by attacking inept and corrupt professors
3. Demonstrated for university reforms in 1922

Þ Students henceforth played important role in Cuban politics

1. Gerardo Machado y Morales, nationalist candidate for the liberal party became president in 1924
1. Although nationalistic close ties with America as he had worked for them
2. Began term well:
1. Ambitious program of public works
2. Attempted to institute program to control sugar prices (especially for small and medium sized companies
3. Encouraged agricultural diversity by imposing high taxes on rice etc.
4. Merit system for public bureaucracy
5. Established new technical and commercial schools
6. Wanted to reform prostitute laws in Havana

Þ Very popular, hardly faced opposition for two years

3. However, he was quite tyrannical
1. Political assassinations increased dramatically
2. Wave of strikes in 1925 put down brutally by police force
3. Most prominent Cuban Communist murdered in Mexican exile (1929)
4. Secured re-election by outlawing main rival, Carlos Mendieta (1928)

Þ Ruled with iron grip over Cuba until 1930

4. Increasing harsh economic situation was underlined by political unrest
1. General strike failed May 1930
2. Killing of student leader was followed by large demonstrations (Sept)
1. Firing of teachers and closing of University was answer
3. Mendita led last and unsuccessful attempt of old politicians to recapture power (August 31)
4. New, moderate alternative, the ABC, to the radical student unions developed for young middle class and intellectuals
1. This was answered by tighter censorship and increased terror from his secret police, Porra
5. USA became increasingly worried with terror threatening US institutions
1. April 1933, Pres. Roosevelt dispatched Sumner Wells to negotiate
1. Unsuccessful negotiations due to
1. Disunited opposition not being able to agree on pos.
2. Machado not wanting to compromise
6. Bus driver’s strike developed into general strike that paralysed the city
1. Machado massacred several demonstrators
2. Machado lost the support of Wells and the army

Þ Machado resigned on August 12^th and fled to exile

1. Provisional government under Carlos Manuel de Cespedes could not stop escalating violence
1. Group of army sergeants and the Student Directory overthrew government on September 4^th 1933.
1. Fulgencio Batista was a part of this overthrow.
2. The new government:
1. New junta had no political backing & views differed in regime.
1. Army wanted to defend new one power
2. Students sought genuine reforms
2. Power was handed over to Dr. Ramón Grau San Martín
1. Well known physician and opponent of Machado
2. Antonio Guiteras Holmes, student leader, & Batista also part of gov.
3. The government produced flurry of decrees:
1. Deleted the Platt Amendment
2. Eight —hour working day for labour
3. Established a labour department
4. Set an end to import of cheap labour from other Caribbean islands
5. Increased availability of higher education
6. Redistribution of land to peasants
7. Give women the vote
8. Eliminate usury (wucher)
4. Þ The government was however caught in a dilemma:
1. The left was dissatisfied due to lack of scope and depth of reforms
2. The Right opposed all reforms
3. Alienated Americans by suspending loan repayments and nationalising two American mills
1. Þ USA government did not recognize Grau government
5. The coalition disintegrated:
1. ABC thought Grau to radical and did not cooperate with him
2. Lost support of the extreme members of Student Directory
3. Communists attacked him as "petty bourgeois"
6. Wells persistently falsified documents and misrepresented the prov. Gov.
1. Allied with Batista
2. Was withdrawn Nov. 1933
7. The new US ambassador to Cuba was Jefferson Caffery:
1. formed new government with Batista as economic and politcal situation worsened
8. Grau was forced out of office in January 1934 and fled to exile
1. Was replaced by Carlos Mendieta

1. Fulgencio Batista y Zaldivar led Cuba first through puppet presidents (1934-40) and as president (1940-44)
1. Sergeant-stenographer
2. Son of a Sugar worker
2. Batista was alienated from ‘respectable’ elements of the upper and middle classes
3. However, he was extremely popular with mass of people
1. Presided over mild reform program
1. Some effort to redistribute land
2. Moved openly leftward in 1937 and supported labour unions and communists

1. Batista allowed election for constituent assembly that Grau (Auténtico party) won
1. Constitution was liberal with protection of labour and limitations on the right of property
2. Batista won the presidential elections in 1940
1. He observed law that a president should not succeed himself
1. Grau defeated Batista’s candidate.
3. Grau became president in 1944
1. Although some reforms were initiated his period in government was dominated by violence and corruption
2. Heavily criticised, especially from Eddie Chibás from 1947
4. Eddie Chibás was charismatic populist leader
1. Former Auténticos member
2. Disillusioned and formed his own Cuban Peoples (Ortodoxo) party
1. Featured mild program of social reforms

Þ Became serious threat to Auténtico party

3. Eddie Chibás opposed Auténtico candidate Carlos Prío Socorrás in 1948 election.
5. Prío won the election as he had the advantage of thriving economy and control of electorate system
1. The corruption and violence continued
2. High sugar prices concealed mismanagement
6. Chíbas was leading candidate for ‘52 election as Batista returned from retirement
1. Chíbas committed suicide on a radio programme in August 1951
1. To awake Cuban public to extent of political corruption
7. Batista staged coup with help of low officers before the election, in March 1952
1. Cuban public, already disillusioned, did not protest

1. Like contemporaries he found it more difficult second time than first.
2. New, incorrupt type of revolutionaries presented threat.
1. Several groups, including the Auténticos, were plotting
3. Fidel Castro staged first, unsuccessful coup on July 26^th 1953:
1. He, his troops and students attacked Moncada army barracks