The History of CubaBy: Samantha Parylak, Emily Kiefer and Alex Decarlo

What led to communism?

- The Dictatorship of Fugencio Batista- The Economy - The Relationship Between U.S. and Cuba

Fulgencio Batista-Became a Military leader.-Anyone who was suspected of starting a rebellion was arrested.-Got rid of congress-On July 26th 1959 rebels against Batista attacked the Moncada army base.-The rebels who did this were either killed or arrested and tortured. -The rebels dead bodies were displayed publicly for everyone to see.

Cuba’s economy during Batista’s ruling

-Cuba’s Economy was very low-They had the third lowest GDP in Latin America-The extreme poverty was due to Fulgencio Batista’s organized crimes in Havana with known Mafia Boss Meyer Lansky.-Batista and Lansky ran a multimillion dollar drug, gambling and prostitution ring while the people of Cuba suffered.-Little of this money was used to help Cubans

Cuba’s Relationship with the U.S

-Cuba had a good relationship with Batista during his ruling-The U.S. even encouraged Batista to run for president.-When it looked like Batista wasn’t going to win his second term of presidency they helped him form a coup.-The U.S. tolerated all of the corrupt things going on in Cuba because they Controlled 90% of it.-They also traded a lot with U.S.-The U.S. did nothing to help the people of Cuba.

1959 Fidel Castro is elected Leader

- Castro overthrows the military dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista.- He nationalized all U.S. owned businesses, including oil refineries, factories and casinos.- He publicly declared himself a Marxist-Leninist in late 1961. By that time they became dependent on the Soviet Union.

Fidel improves Cuba’s education

-After 30 months of Castro’s rule, more classrooms were opened than in previous 30 years.-By 1962 only 4 percent of Cuban’s were illiterate.-By 1980 98 percent of children were attending primary school.-Secondary education went up 76 percent in 30 years under Castro.

Relations worsen with the U.S.

-Relations between Cuba and the United States ended in 1961 soon after JFK authorized U.S. assistance for an invasion at the Bay of Pigs.-Castro aligned himself with the Soviet Union.-1962 Cuba became involved in the Cuban missile crisis.-Cuba was a great location for the Soviet Union to hold its missiles because it was so close to the U.S.

Working towards capitalism

- Cuba is currently under a communist, socialist economy.

- People are now allowed to buy electronic and stay in tourist destinations

- Citizens can create their own business, though they are heavily regulated and are protected by labor laws.-They have the freedom to purchase homes

Agricultural production

- After Raul came into power nearly half of the countries sugar plantations shut down which were the main export.

-54% of government owned land was given to people of Cuba and companies to grow food for the people of Cuba

-Goverment lists agricultural advancement as the top priority

- Wages have gone up, creating lower prices in free market economy

Political and Economic improvement

- Citizens are now allowed to leave the island and travel

- US-Cubans are allowed to visit their families in cuba and send money

-2.4 million people have visited Cuba over the past year, bringing 2 billion dollars in revenue

-Tourism has economically taken place of sugar production