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Oct 28, 1492
Christopher Columbus discovered Cuba and claimed it for Spain.
The island of Cuba was discovered October 28 of 1492 after the disembarked of La Pinta, La Niña and La Santa María, the first three european ships under the command of the admiral Cristóbal Colón during his first trip toward the New World. In honor to the Catholic Kings' daughter, his benefactors, Colón called it island Juana. This landing is carried out for Bariay, place insignia of the county of Holguín, in the Oriente of Cuba. -
Jan 1, 1508
Sebastian de Ocampo, Spanish navigator, explored Cuba.
Sebastián de Ocampo was a Spanish explorer and navigator that is best known for this discoveries during the 16th century. Before he left on his journey everyone thought that the land that laid west of the island of Hispaniola called Cuba was a part of Indian continent. Ocampo proved them wrong when he managed to circumnavigate it and thus he confirmed that Cuba is indeed an island. -
Jan 1, 1514
Spanish soldiers conquered the natives of Cuba.
Native Cubans were conquered by Spanish soldiers. This was not rare of the Spanish soldiers to do. -
Jul 26, 1515
Santiago, Cuba, was founded.
Santiago de Cuba was founded by Spanish conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar on June 28, 1514. In 1516 the settlement was destroyed by fire, and was immediately rebuilt. -
Jan 1, 1523
Sugar was grown in Cuba for the first time
Sugar has been one of Cuba’s most successful crops. They were able to export it to make good money. Also, it gave farmers another crop to grow on their fertile land. If the Cubans never discovered sugar, they wouldn’t be as agriculturally successful as they are today. -
Oct 10, There was a Great Hurricane.
This was one of the largest storms ever recorded. About 30,000 people were killed, which was a big tragedy. Homes were destroyed which costed a fortune to replace. This hurricane had an emotional and physical impact on Cuba. -
The last African slave ship
This ship came to Cuba during 1860. -
Facundo Bacardi Masso founded a rum business in Cuba.
The run business was very successful -
Baseball was banned in Cuba under Spanish rule, but was never completely quelled and came back strong after the Spanish-American War.
Baseball was strongly associated with Cuban nationalism, and it replaced cruel sports, such as bullfight. It also kept many kids and adults active, and off the streets. When the most popular sport in Cuba was banned, it greatly impacted citizens. They were left with little to do on their free time. This could of left to trouble such as drug use. -
Cuba’s 10 year war with Spain ended with the signing of the pact of Zanjon.
The Big War costed Cuba millions of dollars and innocent lives. They spent 10 years fighting Spanish troops and defending their territory. Once the treaty was signed, a big load was taken off Cuba’s back. They were able to get out of debt, and maintain peace. -
Spain abolished slavery in Cuba.
October 7th Spain finally banned slavery in Cuba. -
The Cuban War of Independence
The dream of Cuban independence had existed for over one-hundred years before the final war for independence from Spain began in February 1895.
On December 25, 1894, Jose Martí set sail for Cuba from Florida, accompanied by soldiers and weapons, and on March 25, he presented the Proclamation of Montecristi, which outlined the policy for Cuba's War of Independence. -
The United States declared war and passed a law
On April 25th the USA declared war on Spain and the US House passed the decleration 311 to 6. -
US marines attacked the Spanish
On June 15th the Spanish were attacked by US marines off Guantanamo, Cuba. -
The end of the Spanish-American war
December 10th The United States and Spain signed a treaty in Paris ending the Spanish-American War in the Caribbean and the Pacific. -
Colonel Leonard Wood became governor of Cuba.
US Colonel Leonard Wood served as governor of Cuba. He cleaned up unsanitary conditions and supported medical investigations that tied yellow fever and malaria to mosquitoes. -
A commission that included Dr. Walter Reed began the fight against the deadly disease yellow fever. Walter Reed (1851-1902), U.S. Army doctor, went to Cuba and verified that yellow fever was caused by a mosquito.
Over 5,000 soldiers died of disease.Yellow fever was the most feared of the many diseases that swept through the American camps: its mortality rate was known to reach 85 percent. Yellow fever invaded the American camp in July and infected nearly 2,000 soldiers. Most recovered after several days of high fever and intense muscle and joint pain, but others, after a brief rest from the suffering, showed the final and most severe symptoms: projectile vomiting of blackened blood, and jaundice produced -
A hurricane in Cuba
October 20th a horrible hurricane hit Cuba and killed about 600 people. -
The U.S. signed a military aid pact with Cuba.
The U.S. finally decided to sign the pact for Cuba for military aid. It is in Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952-1954 Volume IV, the American Republics, Document 21. -
No more sugar imports
June 30th US stopped sugar imports from Cuba.
