27 Oct 1492 - Christopher Columbus lands in Cuba.
He describes the scenery as "the loveliest land ever
beheld by human eyes."
1522 - After the decimation of the indigenous population,
colonial landowners bring in African slaves to work the fields.
The first of the slave ships arrives, with many more to follow.
6 Jun 1762 - British capture Havana. Cuba is opened
up for world trade. They exchange the colony for Florida less
than one year later. The slave trade continues in earnest.
1853 - José Martí is born. Life-long
supporter of a sovereign Cuba, Martí was one of Castro's
heroes.
10 Oct 1868 - The Ten Years War starts. Carlos Manuel
de Céspedes, a lawyer and plantation owner, starts
an uprising with other latifundistas (white landowners born
in Cuba) that leads to a war for independence.
1879 - "The Little War" begins. The truce from
the Ten Years War has barely lasted a year. American investors
start to heavily buy into the Cuban economy, left in ruins
from over a decade of war with Spain.
1886 - Slavery is abolished.
1895 - War for Independence. José Martí,
anti-colonialist, returns from exile in the United States
to organize the rebellion. Within three months, he is killed
at the battle of Dos Ríos. He became a martyr to the
cause of independence, becoming known as the "Apostle."
Guerilla leader Antonio Maceo is also killed.
15 Feb 1898 - Havana Harbour: U.S.S. Maine
is destroyed. The United States enters the war.
10 Dec 1898 - Treaty of Paris is signed. Spain loses
their colonies in Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines to
the United States. Cuba gains independence from Spain. Independence
Day will now be celebrated every December 10. The United States
maintains military control over the island.
1901 - Platt Agreement is signed. Cuba cannot ally with
other nations, nor make treaties. The United States alone are allowed
military bases on the island, and may intervene militarily whenever
they deem necessary. The agreement remains in tact until 1934.
20 May 1902 - Cuba is freed from the constraints of the
U.S. administration. President elect Tomás Estrada Palma
is sworn in. The Platt Agreement stands
1925 - Gerardo Machado becomes president. His regime
is one of the most corrupt and exploitative in the island's
political history.
13 Aug 1926 - Fidel Castro is born.
14 Jun 1928 - Ernesto "Che" Guevara is born
in Argentina.
1933 - Machado Gerard's government is overthrown.
1940 - Fulgencio Batista is elected president with
almost 60% of the vote. He remains president for only four
years.
Oct 1945 - Fidel Castro enters law school at the University
of Havana.
10 Mar 1952 - Carlos Prío's government is overthrown
by Fulgencio Batista's military coup. Batista becomes dictator.
This government is openly supported by the United States.
1 Jan 1959 - The Cuban Revolution. Fidel Castro overthrows
Batista after months of guerilla warfare. He sets up a provisional
government. Batista flees the country.
17 Apr 1961 - The Bay of Pigs. Cuban exiles attempt
to invade the island and overthrow Castro's regime. The U.S.
government backs the botched mission. The Cuban army easily
defeats the rebels, many of whom are killed during the insurrection.
October 1962 - Cuban Missile Crisis. The Cold War
escalates when Khrushchev strategically places ballistic missiles
in Cuba. Kennedy denounces the actions by the Soviets. He
instills a naval blockade and warns the Russians that if they
launch a missile from Cuba, the United States will retaliate
with full force against the Soviets. The crisis is averted
when Russian ships carrying missiles to Cuba turn back on
October 24 and Khrushchev agrees to dismantle the sites.
9 Oct 1967 - Che Guevara is executed by government
troops in Bolivia.
1976 - Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau visits
Cuba.
1990 - Cuba endures a massive recession due to the
collapse of the U.S.S.R.
1 Jan 1999 - Castro celebrates forty years in power.