The Cuban Revolution

Question 1

Fulgencio Batista became president of Cuba for the second time in what year?

Answer 1

1952

Question 2

What is the capital of Cuba?

Answer 2

Havana

Question 3

Havana became America’s “_________”?

Answer 3

favourite playground

Question 4

People did not allow blacks to enter hotels or beaches unless?

Answer 4

unless they worked there

Question 5

Give a 12 letter word beginning with “p” that describes what one of the Cubans’ favourite hobbies was.

Answer 5

Prostitution

Question 6

When was the only time that most poor people were employed?

Answer 6

During the planting and reaping seasons when they were needed on sugar and coffee estates

Question 7

Define ‘seasonal employment’

Answer 7

Seasonal employment refers to the employment of poor people to work on sugar and coffee estates when they were needed during the planting and reaping seasons but then they were without jobs for the rest of the year.

Question 8

Why did Batista do nothing about the low wages that were being given to the Cubans that worked on the sugar estates?

Answer 8

Because the Americans controlled the sugar estates and he wanted to please them.

Question 9

Define ‘squalor’

Answer 9

squalor was used to describe the unpleasant life that most of the Cubans were living prior to the revolution.

Question 10

Why was there a revolution in Cuba?

Answer 10

The living conditions that most of the Cubans were living under needed to change.

Question 11

On which date did Fidel Castro and a band of rebels take over Cuba and where did Batista flee to?

Answer 11

They took over Cuba on January 1, 1959 then Batista fled to Florida for refuge

Question 12

What changes did Castro bring about leading up to the revolution?

Answer 12

He built new schools and made education obligatory and free. Since more children were going to school, the illiteracy rate decreased.

He made improvements to the health care sector.

There was an end to the discrimination against afro-Cubans then new laws were passed as an attempt to get rid of prejudice.

He established a housing scheme and reduced utilities and rent son that the less fortunate wouldn’t be taken advantage of by greedy landlords.

More job opportunities through the opening of new industries that were owned by Cuban gojkvernment

Question 13

Define communism

Answer 13

a political system in which the government / state controls the wealth and production of the country.

Question 14

From which bank did Castro access loans?

Answer 14

Soviet union

Question 15

What was the effect of the Cuban Revolution on Caribbean countries?

Answer 15

The US was very angry about their losses and didn’t agree with communism so they punished any Caribbean country that developed a close relationship with Fidel and Cuba by refusing to lend them any money.

Question 16

What were some of the issues in Cuba before Castro?

Answer 16

there were economic inequalities, racism, political issues, and corruption.

Question 17

In which year did Cuba gain independence?

Answer 17

1902

Question 18

Define the Cuban Revolution

Answer 18

The Cuban revolution was an armed uprising which began with an unsuccessful assault on Cuban military barracks, led by Fidel Castro on July 26 1953 which eventually toppled the brutal dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista and forced him to flee the island on January 1, 1959.

Question 19

This agreement gave the US the right to intervene militarily in Cuba to protect its interest there.

Answer 19

The Platt Amendment

Question 20

Which country was at the center of Cuban affairs?

Answer 20

The US

Question 21

Invoking the Platt Amendment, the US would occupy Cuba between which years?

Answer 21

1906 and 1909 and continue to intervene in later years

Question 22

Fulgencio Batista was one of the reasons there was a revolution in Cuba, why?

Answer 22

Batista was a corrupt and brutal leader. He became president of Cuba for the second time in 1952 but this time he led as a dictator and ruled Cuba under a harsh dictatorship. He used terrorist methods to execute anyone who opposed him. He allowed the US to control over 90% of many of Cuba’s industries and so the US was getting more of the profits.

During his tenure, Batista became only concerned with gaining the likings of the Cuban upper and middle class rather than the whole Cuban populace. His style of leadership, also was very authoritarian and that was evident when he refused to step down when his tenure expired. That resulted in a lot of political violence and corruption.

Batista was undertaking major investments such as opening up Cuba for gambling investments. However, the money made was not being contributed towards social & economic developments but instead for Batista’s own purposes.

Question 23

What were some causes of the revolution?

Answer 23

US intervention, social problems, economic problems and Fulgencio Batista

Question 24

Who passed the Platt Amendment?

Answer 24

The US Congress

Question 25

How did US intervention become a reason for the people wanting a revolution?

Answer 25

US owned 40% of Cuba's sugar lands, 90% of their mines, 80% of their utilities & almost 100% of the oil industries. Due to this, Cuba saw little development since most of its profits were US bound so Cubans wanted less US intervention in their affairs.

Question 26

What are the social problems that led to a revolution?

Answer 26

Almost 25% of the population was illiterate which led to the spread of revolutionary ideologies as people wanted greater access to education which Castro had promised them. In addition to this, over 40% of the population was unemployed so people could not provide for their families and hunger was widespread. Only 10% of homes had electricity and only 15% had running water. There was also a lack of proper health care so there many outbreaks of diseases and a lot of deaths too. The people felt that the government was not doing enough.

Question 27

What did Castro promise the Cubans in his manifesto?

Answer 27

to return power to the people, redistribute land, introduce worker profit sharing and pensions, attack corruption, improve education, nationalize public utilities, introduce rent controls, solidarity with other Latin Americans and diversify the economy.

Question 28

Whom was referred to as a nationalist who wanted what was best for the Cuban people and Cuba?

Answer 28

Fidel Castro

Question 29

What were the economic problems in Cuba?

Answer 29

Some Cubans lived in great poverty, sugar production was seasonal, and the sugarcane cutters who only worked four months out of the year were all unemployed, in debt and living on the margins of survival. Cuba's economy was also falling in debt as the price in sugar was failing and the US owned the majority.

Question 30

On which date was Batista born and on which date did he die?

Answer 30

Born on January 16, 1901 and died on August 6, 1973

Question 31

What was Batista's occupation before he was president?

Answer 31

Solider and political leader

Question 32

Through which years was Batista president of Cuba?

Answer 32

1933-44 then again 152-59

Question 33

In what year was Batista elected president?

Answer 33

1940

Question 34

How was Fulgencio Batista a cause for revolution?

Answer 34

During his second term, he ruled Cuba as a dictator using terrorist methods and making fortunes just for himself and his associates. He openly worked in coalition and was favored by the US. In addition he was a very corrupt and brutal leader who favored those of the upper class. He murdered 20,000 people and misappropriated funds .

Question 35

In what year did Cuba and the Soviet Union formalize ties?

Answer 35

1960

Question 36

In what year were US assets nationalised in Cuba?

Answer 36

1960

Question 37

On which date was the Bay of Pigs invasion?

Answer 37

April 17, 1961

Question 38

What was used by the US to try stopping missile shipments to Cuba?

Answer 38

quarantines and blockades

Question 39

In what month of 1962 was the end of the missile crisis and what were the promises made?

Answer 39

In October, the Soviet Leader told Kennedy that the work on missile sites would be halted and that missiles already in Cuba would be returned to the Soviet Union. In return, Kennedy committed the US to never invading Cuba.

Question 40

What was the Bay of Pigs invasion?

Answer 40

an abortive invasion of Cuba financed and directed by the US government in April 1961 by some 1,500 Cuban exiles opposed to Fidel Castro. The invaders suffered a huge defeat.

Question 41

Spanish name for the Bay of Pigs?

Answer 41

Bahía de Corchinos

Question 42

Another name for the Bay of Pigs in english and spanish

Answer 42

Girón Beach Playa Girón

Question 43

Explain the Bay of Pigs invasion

Answer 43

On April 15, 1961, 3 Us made airplanes piloted by Cubans bombed Cuban air bases. Two days later, the Cubans trained by the US and using US equipment landed at several sites. The principal landing took place at The Bay of Pigs on the south-central coast. by April 19, its last stronghold had been captured by Castro's troop along with 1,100 men. Supporters of Batista were included in the invasion whereas people considered to be the most capable anti- castro group were excluded.

Question 44

Explain the Cuban Missile Crisis

Answer 44

On April 19th 1962, Castro responds to the US role in the invasion by declaring Cuba a socialist country and moving even closer into the Soviet sphere. He began to hide Soviet Nuclear missiles, such missiles could hit much of the eastern US within a few minutes if launched from Cuba. Many efforts were made by the US to stop this when they found out in 1962 such as quarantines and blockades. However, in October there was an agreement for the missiles to return to the Soviet union and in return Kennedy committed the US to never invading Cuba.

Question 45

In what year was Castro born?

Answer 45

1929

Question 46

Where did Castro study and what did he study?

Answer 46

He studied law at the University of Havana

Question 47

Who was Fidel's brother?

Answer 47

Raul Castro

Question 48

What prison were Fidel and his brother jailed in and for how long were they sentenced?

Answer 48

Isla de Pinos prison Fidel- 15 yrs Raul - 13yrs

Question 49

After how many years was Castro released from prison?

Answer 49

2 yrs

Question 50

Who joined Castro in 1955?

Answer 50

Che Guevara

Question 51

Why did Castro go to Mexico?

Answer 51

To prepare a revolution against Batista

Question 52

What stage of the revolution occurred in 1956?

Answer 52

Castro launched a revolutionary war from Mexico. Then he arrives in the Sierra Maestra Mountains and wages a guerilla campaign against the Batista government

Question 53

What was the purpose of a guerilla warfare?

Answer 53

to cause upheaval in Cuba

Question 54

How did Castro and Che attack the sugarcane fields?

Answer 54

They tied rats to a gasoline soaked sponge and then they set the sponges on fire so that rats would run in the sugarcane fields.