| Ca. 1000 BCE: |
Ciboney migrate to Cuba from Florida, Central
America, or South America. |
| Ca. 900 CE: |
Arawak (Sub-Talno) first arrive from South
America by way of Greater Antilles. |
| Ca. 1450 CE: |
Second migration of Arawak (Taíno)
to Cuba, again from South America. |
| 1492: |
Columbus’s fleet arrives in Cuba;
departs without forming a permanent settlement. |
| 1511: |
Diego Velasquez leads Spanish settlers from Hispaniola to settle Cuba. |
| 1526: |
First African slaves imported. |
| 1530s: |
French initiate attacks against Spanish
ships and Cuban coastal cities. |
| 1555: |
Havana captured by French. |
| 1560s: |
British also begin campaign against ships
and ports; Spanish develop fleet system. |
| Ca. 1600: |
Indigenous population drops; African slave
imports expanded to meet labor needs. |
| 1762: |
British occupy Havana for ten months during
the Seven Years’ War. |
| 1783: |
English North American colonies (except Canada)
gain freedom. |
| 1789: |
The French Revolution begins. |
| 1791: |
Successful slave rebellion in Dominique establishes
Haiti as a free republic. |
| Ca. 1792: |
Cuban sugar production and importation of
slaves begins to increase dramatically. |
| 1808—1860: |
Various attempts by U.S. Government to purchase
Cuba. |
| 1853: |
José Marti Perez born. |
| 1865: |
Conclusion of Civil War in the U.S. ends
attempts to purchase Cuba. |
| 1868—1878: |
Ten Years’ War for liberation of Cuba
(first war for independence) ends with Zanjon Treaty. |
| 1871: |
First Protestant clergy person allowed to
minister to Protestant expatriates. |
| 1883: |
Cuban preachers begin first Protestant congregations. |
| 1886: |
Slavery abolished in Cuba. |
| 1895: |
Marí leaves the U.S. to go to the Dominican
Republic and join Máximo Gómez.
Both land in eastern Cuba and join Antonio Maceo, who arrives from Costa Rica.
Martí killed in battle on May 19. |
| 1895—1898: |
Second war for independence fought with much
loss of life and destruction of property. Maceo killed in July
1896. |
| 1898: |
U.S. Battleship Maine explodes in Havana
Harbor on January 15, 1898. Congress declares war on April
25. On August 12 an armistice is signed between the U.S.
and Spain. The Treaty of Paris is signed December 10 with no Cuban present. |
| 1899: |
U.S. military government formally begins
rule under General John R. Brooke. First missionaries sent
to Cuba by U.S. churches. |
| 1901: |
Cuban Constitutional Convention appends Platt
Amendment to new Cuban constitution after heavy U.S. pressure.
National election held. |
| 1902: |
U.S. troops leave as Tomás Estrada
Palma takes office as president. |
| 1906: |
Estrada requests U.S. troops to maintain
order following disturbances because of election fraud. After
initial refusal, marines are sent
when Estrada resigns. Charles Magoon is named military governor of
the provisional government. |
| 1908: |
José Miguel Gómez elected president
in November.
|
| 1909: |
Gómez takes reigns of government from
Magoon in January. |
| 1912: |
President William Howard Taft has U.S. Marines
land in eastern Cuba for a short occupation after a revolt
by African-Cubans. |
| 1917: |
Election fraud causes Liberal Party insurrection.
President Woodrow Wilson sends marines to support beleaguered
President Menocal. After Cuba follows U.S. in declaring war
against Germany, it becomes a training ground for U.S. Marines.
Not until 1922 are all marines withdrawn. |
| 1925: |
Gen. Gerardo Machado Morales becomes president
after a fair election in 1924. He gradually accumulates dictatorial
powers. |
| 1928: |
Machado changes the presidential term to six
years and eliminates opposition so that he wins an uncontested
election. |
| 1929: |
Stock market collapse leads to serious economic
crisis in Cuba. Labor unrest and student opposition leads to
turmoil. |
| 1933: |
Newly elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt
sends Sumner Welles to resolve the revolutionary situation.
His solution is to have Machado
resign and have Carlos Manuel de Céspedes replace him. Students, revolutionary
groups, and army refuse to accept Céspedes, who on September 5 quietly
resigns after just over three weeks in office. Grau San Martin chosen
president. Radical legislation is passed, but the U.S. refuses to recognize
the new
government. |
| 1934: |
Col. Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar
overthrows President Grau San Martin and takes power for himself,
ruling through puppet presidents. U.S. abrogates the Platt
Amendment, giving up its right to intervene in Cuba’s
internal affairs, revises its sugar quota and changes tariffs
to favor Cuba.
|
| 1935-1936: |
Several presidents are replaced by Batista. |
| 1940: |
Batista is elected to a four-year term as
president. New constitution published. |
| 1942: |
Cuba enters World War II supporting the Allies. |
| 1944: |
Batista defeated in election by Ramon Grau
San Martin, leaves for U.S. |
| 1948: |
Carlos Prío Socarrás is elected
for four-year term as president. |
| 1952: |
Batista seizes power by military coup.
|
| 1953: |
Fidel Castro leads a near-suicidal attack
on the Moncada Barracks in Santiago, which fails. Survivors
sentenced to fifteen-year prison
terms |
| 1954: |
Running opposed, Batista receives 40 percent
of the electorate’s votes for a new term. |
| 1955 : |
A general amnesty frees Castro and his coconspirators.
They go to Mexico. |
| 1956: |
Castro with 85 companions leaves Mexico on
the overloaded yacht Granma for Oriente Province. Only twelve
make it to safety in the Sierra Maestra. |
| 1959: |
Batista flees in the early morning of January
1 after his military failure and the loss of U.S. support. |
| 1959: |
Fidel Castro enters Havana on January 8 after
a triumphant march across Cuba.The Agrarian Reform bill is
enacted in May. |
| 1960: |
January—70,000 acres of land owned
by U.S. sugar companies expropriated.
May—diplomatic relations re-established with the Soviet Union.
June—U.S. refineries nationalized by Cuba.
July—Sugar quota cut by U.S.
August to October—more U.S. properties nationalized.
October—Trade embargo imposed on Cuba by U.S., the Urban Reform Law nationalizes
all commercially owned real estate. |
| 1961: |
January—Diplomatic relations between
U.S. and Cuba cut. National campaign to end illiteracy begins
as 1961 is proclaimed the Year of Education.
April—The Bay of Pigs invasion. |
| 1962: |
October 22-28 — the missile crisis. |
| 1965: |
The Communist Party of Cuba is reorganized. |
| 1968: |
The “revolutionary offensive” is
launched. Remaining small businesses nationalized. |
| 1970: |
Ten-million-ton sugar harvest target not
met. Only 8.5 million tons harvested. |
| 1974: |
Local elections for municipal assemblies
inaugurated in Matanzas (Poder Popular). |
| 1975: |
Family Code promulgated; First Party Congress
meets. |
| 1976: |
The new socialist constitution promulgated. |
| 1977: |
Cuba and the U.S. open Interest Sections
in their respective capitals. |
| 1978: |
Family reunification program initiated in
which Cuban exiles are permitted to make brief family visits. |
| 1980: |
125,000 Cubans emigrate to the U.S. in the
Marie! boat lift. Second Party Congress convenes. |
| 1985: |
Radio MartI initiates broadcasts to Cuba.
Family visits to Cuba suspended.
|
| 1986: |
Family visits reinstated. Third Party Congress
held. |
| 1987: |
Pact signed in which Cuba agrees to accept
2,000 “undesirables” in U.S. as a result of the
Mariel exodus. The U.S. agrees to accept 20,000 Cuban immigrants
annually. |
| 1990: |
The Soviet Union proposes to change trade
arrangements so that trade will be on the basis of hard currency
and at real market value. Cuba
announces austerity measures for the “Special Period.” |
| 1991: |
Soviet military advisers leave Cuba following
collapse of USSR. Fourth Party Congress. |
| 1992: |
The Torricelli bill passes, prohibiting U.S.
subsidiaries in third countries from trading with Cuba. |
| 1993: |
Dollar transactions and limited self-employment
legalized in Cuba. Many state farms made semiautonomous cooperatives. |
| 1994: |
Immigration agreement signed in which Cuba
agrees to control illegal immigration to the U.S. and the U.S.
authorizes 20,000 annual immigrants. |
| 1996: |
Two Brothers to the Rescue airplanes shot
down by Cuban air force; U.S. makes trade embargo permanent. |
| 1998: |
Pope John Paul II visits Cuba; restrictions
on exiles sending money to Cuba relaxed. |
| 1999: |
November—A Cuban child, Elián
Gonzalez, is picked up off the coast of Florida. |
| 2000: |
January-June —— court battles
regarding return of Elián to father in Cuba. June; Elián
returns to Cuba. |
| 2001: |
Russia shuts down radar base near Havana to save $200 million annually.
October — Cuba
angrily criticizes the decision.
November — U.S. exports food to Cuba for first time in forty years after
the Cuban government requests aid following the devastation from Hurricane Michelle. |
| 2002: |
January — Afghan captives interned in
Guantánamo Base.
May — Jimmy Carter visits Cuba, speaks live on Cuban television. He is
critical of the embargo, says U.S. should take first step in improving relations,
praises
the Varela Project led by Cuban dissidents, and expresses concerns about human
rights in Cuba. |
| 2003: |
March-April — Dissidents arrested,
tried and sentenced to terms of up to 28 years. Three men are
executed for hijacking a ferry in an attempt to go to the U.S.
July — First U.S. ship in 45 years docks in Cuba.
August — Fidel Castro celebrates 77th birthday. |
| Area: |
110,860 sq. km. (44,200 sq. mi.); about the
size of Pennsylvania. |
| Population: |
11,236,000. |
| Cities: |
Capital—Havana (population 2 million).
Other major cities—Santiago de Cuba, Camaguey, Santa Clara, Holguín,
Guantánamo, Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Pinar del Río. |
| Terrain: |
Flat or gently rolling plains, hills, mountains
up to 1,974 meters (6,476 ft.) in the southeast; 692 meters
(2,270 ft.) in the
west. |
| Climate: |
Tropical, moderated by trade winds;
dry
season November-April; rainy season May-October. |
| Administrative Subdivisions: |
14 provinces, including the city of Havana,
and one special
municipality (Isle of Youth). |
| Education: |
Years compulsory: 6
Attendance: 92 percent
(ages 6-16)
Literacy: 95 percent |
| Health: |
Infant mortality rate—7.2/1 ,000.
Life expectancy—78 yrs. for women, 73 yrs. for men. |
| Work Force: |
(4.5 million)
Government and services—30
percent.
Industry—22 percent.
Agriculture—20 percent.
Commerce—11 percent.
Construction—11 percent.
Transportation & Communications—6 percent. |
| Economy: |
GDP (1999 est.): Purchasing power parity—$
18.6 billion.
Real Annual Growth Rate: 2.5 percent (1997); 6.2 percent (1999); 3.0 percent
(2001). Per Capita Income (1999 and 2000 estimate): $1,700. |
| Natural Resources: |
Nickel, cobalt, iron ore, copper, manganese, salt, timber. |
| Agricultural Products: |
Sugar, citrus and tropical fruits, tobacco,
coffee, rice, beans, meat, vegetables. |
| Types of Industry: |
Sugar and food processing, oil refining,
cement, electric power, light consumer and industrial product. |
| Trade: |
Exports: $1.4 billion free on board (FOB),
1999 estimate: sugar and its byproducts, nickel, seafood, citrus,
tobacco products, rum.
Major markets: Russia 25 percent, Netherlands 23 percent, Canada 16 percent
(1999 est.).
Imports: $3.2 billion cost, insurance, and freight (CIF), 1999 estimate:
petroleum, food, machinery, chemicals.
Major suppliers: Spain 16 percent, Venezuela 15 percent, Canada 8
percent, Mexico 7percent (1999 est.). |
| Official exchange rate: |
1 Cuban peso=U.S.$1 (official rate). 26 Cuban
pesos = U.S.$1(internal exchange rate 2002). |
| |
Source: U.S.
Department of State Background Notes: Cuba. |
You are here:
