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Anticipation Guide

How would you feel if you lived in a country where the native people were dirt poor, and foreigners controlled everything? If you had a chance to take your country back, would you? How would you do it? Okay, lets say you succeeded. Youre now the leader of a new country. What kind of leader will you be? Oops! In the process of making your own country, you made a lot of enemies. Another country (a very strong country) wants to be your ally. Do you accept? Oops! You care about the people of your country, but now they dont like the way you are leading. What do you do now? Some smart aleck newspaper reporter keeps writing bad things about you in the press. People are starting to demand you stop being leader. What are you going to do? If you wanted to keep as much control as possible in your country, what kind of government would you have?

The Cuban Revolution

Essential Question
What was the Cuban Revolution and how did it change Cuba?

Cuban History
Cuba gained its independence from Spain in 1898. After Cuba gained its independence, America played a large role in Cubas development. Americans bought sugar cane plantations Americans owned hotels and casinos in Cuba

Cuban Revolution
During the 1950s. A young revolutionary named Fidel Castro became the leader of a movement to seize control of the Cuban Government. This movement was called the Cuban Revolution

Castro and many other Cubans were upset because Cuba had many poor people. Although Cuba had luxury houses, gambling casino, and Cadillacs, most Cubans were starving and penniless. Many businesses in Cuba were owned by Americans

One reason conditions were so bad in Cuba is that Cuba had a cruel dictator named Batista Batista made sure only a few people made money off of the tourism and casinos in Cuba. Castro and many others wanted to get rid of Batista.

Not THAT Batista!!!!

Cuban Revolution
The revolution to overthrow Fulgencio Batista was begun in 1956, and by 1959, Batista had been defeated. Castro was now in charge of Cuba

At first, people were happy Castro overthrew Batista

After Batista is gone, Castro seizes absolute power. He makes Cuba a Communist country He then had 700 of his enemies executed and many more were thrown in prison.

Citizens of Cuba began losing rights. They were not allowed to disagree with the government.
If they did, they were thrown in prison

In a way, the citizens traded one dictator for another

Communist Cuba
Castro then seizes control of all the land and property in Cuba
Including many sugar plantations owned by American companies. How do you think America responded to this? EMBARGO

Communist Cuba
Seeking allies, Castro looks to another Communist country.
Can you guess which one?

Cuba allies with the Soviet Union

Keep in mind, this is right in the middle of the Cold War How do you think America responded?

The Cuban Revolution established a communist government just 90 miles off the coast of Florida. This was the beginning of the Cuban Missile Crisis Where do you think Cuba got its Nuclear weapons?

Even to this day, Cuba is a Communist country and America STILL has an embargo with them.

Writing to Learn
Cuban Crystal Ball 5-7 Sentences How do you think Cuba might be different today had Castro stuck to his promise never to become a dictator?