Cuban History Timeline

By lzamora47
  • 1492

    Christopher Columbus claims Cuba as Spain's territory

  • 1526

    Slaves from Africa first arrive in Cuba

  • Ten Year War

    Revolutionary leader, Maj. Gen. Calixto Garcia leads fight for independence from Spain. Fail to win.

  • Civil revolt against spanish rule

    revolt lead by José Martí and Gen. Máximo Gómez (rebels)

  • Spanish-American war

    A short war. U.S defeats Spain and now has control of Cuba. U.S military begins occupation on the island.

  • The Platt Amendment

    Established the condition that the U.S could intervene in Cuba. Allowed the U.S to lease land and create a naval base.

  • Gerardo Machado elected president

    Gerardo ran on the "platform of regeneration" promising to invest in Cuba's infrastructure

  • Cuban Communist Party is established

  • "Sergeant's revolt"

    President Machado resigns. Carlos Manuel de Céspedes becomes provisional pres. but is overthrown by student led coup that was led by sgt. Fulgencio Batista

  • Batista becomes the head of the army and the 'de facto' leader of cuba

  • Democratic elections are held

    Batista wins the presidency and implements a new constitution. Run a corrupt police state

  • Batista's second term in office

    Batista becomes increasingly repressive during this second term

  • Fidel Castro leads uprising against Batista

  • 26th of July Movement

    Fidel and Che Guevara join together and launch guerrilla war against Batista

  • Batista leaves Cuba

    Guerrilla fighters drive Batista out of Cuba. Fidel Castro becomes prime minister

  • U.S businesses in Cuba are nationalized w/o compensation

  • Pedro Pan

    Through 1962

  • The U.S breaks relations with Cuba

  • Castro states the Cuba is a communist state

    Allies with the Soviet Union

  • Bay of Pigs Invasion

    abortive invasion by Cuban exile

  • Cuban missile crisis

    Castro agreed to allow the Soviet union to put nuclear missiles on the island. led to an almost nuclear war

  • Cuba sends troops to Africa

  • Mariel Exodus

    Around 125,000 exiles flee to the U.S

  • The Soviet Union collapses

  • U.S tightens the embargo

  • U.S agrees to admit 20,000 Cubans a year

  • Trade embargo made permanent

    Due to Cuba shooting down US aircraft

  • Elian found on Florida coast

  • Elian joins his dad in Cuba

  • Obama and raul Castro talk

    talk about normalizing diplomatic relations

  • Fidel Castro passes away

  • New president elected