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History
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1492 |
Christopher Columbus discovers Cuba on October 28.
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1512 |
Diego Velázquez annexes
the island. The exploitation of the Cuban Indians begins; they are
eventually wiped out. |
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1522 |
 The
first slave ships arrive in Cuba. Many Spaniards leave the island,
because there is no gold to be found there. |
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1534 |
The first sugar mill is put into operation. |
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1561 |
Havana, the transit point
for Spanish treasure fleets, is repeatedly plundered by pirates. |
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1780 |
Mass importation of African
slaves. |
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1800 |
Approximately 30,000 French
planters fleeing the slave uprising of Toussaint L'Ouverture on
Haiti immigrate to Cuba. The island becomes the worlds largest producer
of sugar. |
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1812 |
African slaves revolt. |
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1868-1878 |
In the first War of Independence,
the Cubans under Carlos M. de Cespedes fight in vain against Spanish
rule. |
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1879 |
Official abolition of slavery.
However, ex-slaves are required to continue working for their masters
as apprentices until 1886. |
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1895-98 |
 José
Marti fails to free Cuba in the second War of Independence. |
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1898 |
Under the pretext of "protecting" US citizens on Cuba,
the United States intervenes in the Colonial War. Spain loses Cuba,
its last colony, to the United States. Cuba gains independence,
but is placed under a US military governor. |
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1901 |
The Platt Amendment is imposed
on Cuba, granting the US the right of unrestricted military intervention
in Cuba's internal affairs. |
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1902 |
Cuba becomes an independent
republic but is still under U.S. control. The Platt Amendment is
repealed in 1934 but the lease on the Guantánamo naval base
is extended. |
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1925 |
Gerardo Machado becomes president
and establishes a dictatorship. |
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1933 |
The Machado dictatorship is
overthrown by Sergeant Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar, but
he is not elected president until 1940. |
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1952 |
Batista stages a military
coup motivated by his impending defeat in the presidential election. |
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1953 |
 The
attack on the Moncada barracks under Castro fails. After two years
in prison, he is exiled to Mexico. |
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1956 |
Castro and Che Guevara land from the vessel "Granma"
and start a guerilla war. |
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1959 |
 Victory
of the revolution |
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1959-65 |
Counter revolutionaries receive an exit permit and about half
a million rich Cubans leave the island. |
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1960 |
Thirty-six of the major U.S.
companies are nationalized and a partial trade embargo is imposed. |
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1961 |
In April, a group of exiled
Cubans with the support of the CIA attempt an unsuccesful invasion
at the Bay of Pigs. In December, Cuba is declared a socialist republic
based on Marxist Leninism. |
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1962 |
The USA imposes a complete
economic embargo against Cuba. As a result, Cuba leans strongly
in the direction of the USSR. The Cuba Crisis in September brings
the threat of a third world war. In the end, the USSR decides to
forego the stationing of rocket bases on Cuba. |
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1965 |
Castro and Che Guevara split.
Che is shot in Bolivia in 1967. |
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1968 |
The establishment of a classless
society becomes a national goal. |
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1980 |
Dissent emerges among the
population 20 years after the country's conversion to socialism.
About 100,000 Cubans leave the island. |
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1993 |
Legalisation of the US Dollar;
economic reforms initiated. |
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1994 |
Due to the severe economic
crisis, more than 30,000 people leave the country in crude boats.
The UN denounces the US embargo against Cuba. The US and Israel
dissent. |
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1995 |
The US strengthens the embargo. |
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1999 |
 Elian
Gonzalez flees Cuba with his mother, who drowns at sea. His father
demands that the boy be returned. The US refuses to return him. |
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2000 |
US courts decide that Elian may return to his father. Amidst major
protests by exiled Cubans, Elian is kidnapped from his uncle's house
and taken to his father, who takes him back to Cuba despite the
large sums of money offered that were intended to convince him and
the boy to remain in the US.
Information about Elian
Gonzalez
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History
