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Hernandez_Pinero_Ramos_Cuba - Coggle Diagram
Hernandez_Pinero_Ramos_Cuba
Challenges faced by the Cuban Republic and the responses to Those Challenges
A. Political challenges
ii. Political settlement
Elihu Root worked on an electoral system for Cuba that ensured the victory of those Cuban whites who favored the option of U.S annexation. Roots aim was to create a system that doesn't allow ordinary people to interfere with U.S plans and interests. In 1900 municipal elections were held and three parties were involved including the Republican Party, the Cuban Nationalist Party, and the Democratic Union Party (the first two parties favored independence, and won). Root wanted Cuba to be prepared for independence while also believing the U.S should still have considerable control afterwards.
i. U.S. military government (1898-1902)
U.S president Mckinley told congress that U.S forces would continue to occupy Cuba until there was no unrest and a 'stable' government was established. In 1899 the rebel Liberation Army was disbanded and this removed the only potential source of opposition to U.S rule and influence. The rural guard, a paramilitary force, was then set up to deal with the problem of banditry after the war.
iv. The Republic of Cuba (1902)
The 'independent' Republic of Cuba was proclaimed on 20 May 1902. Its first president was Tomás Estrada Palma. Most of Cuba's small white elite favored Estrada who was a Cuban born U.S citizen that was happy to have a close relationship with the U.S. The U.S flag was replaced by the new Cuban flag, and the U.S began to withdraw its troops from Cuba.
v. Politics in the Republic (1902-1906)
Corruption and electoral fraud
Instead of land that was promised, the Cuban government decided to raise a foreign loan in order to give the ex-combatants cash payments, soldiers received little money while politicians became richer. During elections, different political parties placed their own armed guards outside polling stations to ensure their candidates won. Liberals organized an insurrection to remove the government, 24,000 rebels marched on Havana, the U.S reluctantly sent 6,000 marines to establish "peace and order"
Second U.S. occupation (1906-1909)
Magoon ruled Cuba for three years, with much of the work overseen by U.S Colonel Enoch Crowder. The electoral, administrative and legal systems were reformed. The U.S allowed Cuba to form a small professional army. On August 1 1908 under new rules drawn up mainly by the U.S and designed to limit voter fraud, municipal and provincial elections took place which were won by the Conservative Party. Liberals were divided for these elections, but they united behind Jose Gómez in 1908 when he won the election. Gómez was respectful of democratic institutions and was in favor of avoiding further U.S intervention, but he was a corrupt politician. On March 28 1909 when Magoon transferred power to the new Cuban president, the U.S troops withdrew from Cuba. One effect of these regular appeals to the U.S by Cuba's white élites was to make clear the political differences between those élites and ordinary Cubans still loyal to Martí's vision of nationalism and independence.
iii. Cuban Constitution
The Platt Amendment
This set down seven conditions for the withdrawal of U.S troops from Cuba, and revealed the unequal nature of the relationship between Cuba and the U.S. In 1903, Cuba signed a treaty of Relations with the U.S which confirmed the seven guarantees set down in the Platt Amendment, and this treaty remained in force until 1934 when the U.S agreed to remove three of the seven pledges. Cubans resented this humiliating erosion of their independence as it essentially turned Cuba into a semi-colony or protectorate of the U.S. The main points of the Platt Amendment gave the U.S oversight of Cuba's public finances, the right to intervene in Cuba, and the right to establish military bases on Cuba.
B. Economic and social challenges
ii. Social Divisions
Cuba's labor movement
White immigration White immigration was encouraged by the Spanish administrators in Cuba before 1898, and so Cubas peninsulares population increased as white immigration from Spain occurred. General Wood continued encouraging white settlers from Spain as he hoped they would rum the island. Cuban whites were 50% of the Cuban population in 1898..
iii. Racial tensions
The Republic and blacks
i. U.S and Cuba's economy
Cuban-American Reciprocity Treaty (1903) This treaty gave Cuban sugar preferential treatment in the U.S market, but also reduced duties on U.S imports, which restricted industrial and manufacturing development in Cuba.U.S money was invested in the sugar industry, the railways,the mining and tobacco industries. Tobacco and other industries soon recovered from the effects of the war. Sugar production rose as well. Cuban currency was made interchangeable with the U.S dollar. By 1905 more than 13,000 U.S citizens bought land in Cuba.
Impact of World War One
Cuba's economy was helped by WW1. The war disrupted the supply of European sugar beet, which increased the demand for Cuban sugar. In 1912 the price of sugar was 1.96 cents per pound, and by 1920 the price reached 23 cents per pound. To meet the demand plantations were created, but peasants were evicted and forests were cut down as a result. This subsequently led to the creation of the national bank and a national currency, Cuban peso (which was initially based on par with the U.S dollar).
The 1920-21 economic crisis
Dependence on the U.S economy
C. Responses to challenges and the effectiveness of those responses
i. Continuing U.S military influence
Politics and uprisings (1909- 1924)
ii. Cuban nationalism in 1925
Methods Used and Reasons of Success of the Cuban Independence Movement
a. Methods of achieving independence (including violent and non-violent methods)
i. La Escalera Rebellion (1843-1844):
Started in March 1843 and was a joint rebellion of slaves and "free people of color"It then spread cross western Cuba. One of the Uprising in November 1843 was led by "La Negra Carlota" who was a black slave.
iii. The Second War of Independence
ii.
The First War of Independence/ Ten Years War (1868-1878)
1.Early Actions
b. Grito de Yara
: On October 18 when he got the attention of the town, Bayamo he officially declared the independence of Cuba being called the Grito de Yara and this helped launch the independence movements in Latin America.
a.
Carlos Manuel de Cespedes
: He was one of the main leaders of the First independent War. In 1868 he was trying to get most of the Cubans in the west to support an independence rebellion. On October 10th of 1868, he started his own revolt on his plantation and freed all his slaves. In April 1869 he was elected president of the Republic of Cuba in Arms. He was dropped from office in 1873 due to his leadership differences and was killed by Spanish Troops in 1874
Spanish Tactics
a. Use of Trochas: They wee used by rebels when they were deciding to spread the rebellion to the west . In which led Maximo Gomez to use them in 1875 to do do.
3.Divisions with Rebels: First was caused on Deciding whether or not to spread the rebellion to the wast and then leading in the ranks. The difference of each rank was due to a combination of Regionalism, conflicting class interest arguments over military strategies, and emerging racial and nationalist tensions.
The Role and relative importance of other factors in the success of the Cuban Independence Movement
Role and Important Leaders in The Cuban Independence Movement
Origins and Rise of Independence
Role and relative; Nationalism and political Ideology
i. Spanish control of the colony - Spain had control over Cuba since the 14-15th century. That was due to Christopher Columbus visiting during his trip and tell Spain about it. Bringing in many people from Spain to Cuba to start having control over it and making it under Spanish control. Around 18th and 19th century is when things start to change. Bringing Spanish and slaves to the Island.
ii. The evolution of Slavery - Slavery has existed in several places but it wasn't anything new. To the people of Cuba it was. Slavery has been around since the 16th century and the Spanish people needed slaves brought in to Cuba to start working in harsher labor jobs like plantations, land, etc. Slaves had been under the Spanish rule until they started rebellions around the 18th century but didn't receive much attention from the people of Cuba or the Spanish. They started receiving attention until early mid 19th century with the Escalera Rebellion being one of them and many others later on that start to change things around Cuba.
Role and relative: Religion, race, social, and economic factors
i. Race and it's connection to the Cuban Hierarchy
Criollos - They were Cubans born Spanish.
Mestizos - They were white Europeans mixed with Indigenous background.
Peninsulares - They were considered the white elites they were the highest in the hierarchy due to the Spanish connection they had.
Mulattos - They were black Africans mixed in with European descendant
Slaves - Colored slaves also black slaves were slaves that did harsher labor jobs but also didn't have a very high life expectancy due to the harsh living ways they lived. Slaves were always brought in for land owners, and plantation owners. The amount of Slaves over time increased by hundreds almost taking majority of the population. They also worked on sugar and tobacco helping the economy of Cuba. They were the lowest class in the hierarchy as well.
ii. Economics
Predominance of Slavery - Slavery was big factor to Spain economy and Cuba's population. Majority of Cuba's economy was based on slaves almost 80% of them. Slaves were a major factor because every year they needed more slaves for sugar plantation and land owners and would be brought in.
Over dependence on sugar as an export product - Cuba had been using sugar since late 18th century and early 19th century. It started to be exported to the U.S after their Independence from the British late 18th century. Cuba depended on their sugar plantations heavily since it would improve their economy. Spain would help their sugar plantation owners with slaves or, whatever they needed. Sugar was a big factor to their economy aside from tobacco as well but sugar took majority of its economy. This made Cuba a big asset to Spain, compared to its other Spanish colonies. People also started doing sugar plantations because it would increase their wealth.
Internal and External factors
i. U.S challenges to Spanish control of Cuba - The u.s has always had an interest in Cuba. The U.S offered Spain to get Cuba but would always get declined because Spain didn't want to let go of Cuba. Cuba was a major factor to Spain's economy.
ii. The Saint-Domingue Slave rebellion (1791-1804)
Economic and social Impact of the Haitian Revolution - During and after the Haitian Revolution many former plantation farmers flew to Cuba to start over and improve Cuba's economy. This made larger sugar and coffee to be established in Cuba in which later on dominated Cuba's economy moreover the 19th century. This caused for more slaves to be needed and demanded.
The impact it had on the black population - The events in Haiti caused many of the black's in Cuba to be inspired. In which created rebellions later on by slaves of color. Since free slaves were not discriminated much, they would carry weapons and form black militia's in Havana.
Aponte's conspiracy - This was in 1812, an imitation of the rebellion Haiti had. This was led by Jose Antonio Aponte whom was the commander of the Havana Militia. Their goal was to overthrow Spanish control with some whites supporting them. But this ended when Spanish forces found out and hanged Aponte and other men as a warning to the people.
iii. Bolivarian Movement - The Bolivarian movement was led by Simon Bolivar in which he participated and helped Venezuela first to become liberated and later on other Latin countries from the French government during the 19th century. This inspired many people from Cuba.
iv. Cuban Elites and Independence from Spain - Many of the White elites opposed the Idea of Independence from Spain but that started to change in the 19th century. Many white elites didn't want to lose support and economic influence with Spain because of the fear they had.
v. Cuba's economic problems - Sugar was what maintained Cuba's economy to keep on going and improve but than began to slow down as other sugar productions started to come out making it competition to Cuba's sugar production as well. Their was also slave trade leases; meaning slave trade was becoming illegal and to not depend much on slave labor. But that became a problem after the abolition of Slavery since plantation owners used them a lot.
vi. Opposition to Spanish Rule
vii. Hopes of reform
viii. Declining Spanish Power