 An island  Ninety miles south of Florida

 Political problems  United States took control after the Spanish War when the Spanish control was taken out.  Then Cuba had many dictators.

 American businesses went into Cuba and built many companies and casinos.  Became America’s rich and famous playground.  Prohibition in the U.S-they went to Cuba to buy alcohol and gamble.

 American companies owned a large amount of land in Cuba.  Most of Cuba’s sugar cane crop was sold to America.

 1950’s Gerneral Bulgencio Batista was ruler of Cuba. He was at first elected as President but then became power hungry and made himself a dictator.  People were unhappy-much poverty.

 1959 Fidel Castro formed a an army-took over government.  Made himself the dictator.  Because of poverty, poor education and health care, many people welcomed Castro at first.

 Castro kicked out all American’s  Many Cuban’s fled for their lives to America-refugees.  Castro aligned himself with the Soviet Union and became a communist country.

 Castro declared all property belonging to Americans now belonged to the government.  All farms, factories, and businesses owned by Cubans also became government property. Communism

 Castro had people who supported Batista arrested.  Most were executed by a firing squad.  Some spent decades in prison.

 Cuban newspapers, radio, and television were shut down.  Government-only source of news.  Churches were closed, and all church property was taken.

 United States placed an embargo on Cuba which is still in affect today.  Embargo-nothing can be sold or bought from Cuba.

 Soviet Union took this chance to use Cuba as a puppet and get close to their enemy-the U.S ( Cold War)  Soviet Union supplied weapons and other goods to Cuba. Trained their military.

 Good-hospitals and schools improved.  Women and blacks became better educated and had better jobs.

 Bad-Christians were discriminated against.  Incomes were low.  Became one of the poorest countries.

 Cuba tried to spread communism into Latin America.  Provided military training, money, and weapons.

 Cuban Missile Crisis almost started a nuclear war.  Cuba gave Soviet Union permission to build a missile launching complex in Cuba facing the U.S. (we had missiles in Turkey facing the Soviet Union)  President John F. Kennedy demanded the missiles to removed.

 Soviets demanded we take our out of Turkey, promise to never attack Cuba again, or try to assassinate Castro.  Still do not have good relations with Cuba-still have embargo.