Cuban History: Questions & Links

Questions:

  1. What surprised you about Cuba's history?
  2. Read the following statements about various periods in U.S.-Cuban relations. Then, select which of the two statements for each period you agree with and why. Spanish-American-Cuban War (a) The United States looked at this conflict as a way of helping Cubans establish an independent democracy. (b) The United States saw this conflict as a way of gaining complete control over Cuba. The Cold War (a) The United States did its best to combat communism in the hemisphere and the embargo is a good policy. (b) The United States should have let Cubans decide the best way for Cuba even if that meant communism. The embargo is therefore unjust. Elián González (a) Since Elián's mother brought him to the U.S., he should have been able to stay. (b) The U.S. did the right thing in returning Elián to Cuba to be with his father since his mother had died.
  3. Now, list the famous events in U.S.-Cuban history that occurred in the following years.
    1898:
    1901:
    1961:
    1962:
    1980:
    1994:
    2000:
  4. Looking back at the definition of <revolution>, which aspects did Fidel Castro carry out in Cuba? Which did he not?
  5. Websearch: Using one of the links below, find the following biographical information on Camilo Cienfuegos.
    When was he born?
    In what city was he born?
    Did he participate in the Moncada strike?
    Did he participate in the Granma landing?
    How did he die?
    When did he die?

Links:

Cuban culture including histories . . .

Cuba Junky
Free Cuba Foundation
Cuba Heritage
Megastories
Latin American Network and Information Center [LANIC at U. of Texas - Austin]

The history of Cuba . . .

History of Cuba.com
Rock around the Blockade
State Department and Cuba
Spanish-American-Cuban War
Library of Congress site on the Spanish-American War
Bay of Pigs and Exile Brigade 2506
A History of the Revolution
Another history of the Revolution

Historic individuals . . .

Fulgencio Batista
Fidel Castro — CNN profile
Camilo Cienfuegos
Che Guevara Lives!
Antonio Maceo
José Martí

Revolution and socialism . . .

marxists.org
socialist-alternative.org
pop subcultures

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