History of Cuba: then and Now

Cuba is divided in 14 capitals and the special city of Island of the Youth (former Island of Pines). Christopher Columbus was the first European to reach Cuba in 1492. During that period the natives people lived and work their way through by farming. They grew items such as cassava, maize and yams. They consider the smoking tobacco a part of their time. Several settlements were discovered including Havana in the 1511 when Diego Velasquez conquered the island of Cuba. In 1868 the slaves in Cuba were freed by a landowner named Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, when the search for independence began. Then in 1886 slavery in Cuba was abolished. When they taught the war was over the second war of Independence began in 1895. It was a war between Spain and US, which allows Spain to throw in the towel soon afterwards. The peace treaty allows Spain to surrender all claims to Cuba and Cuba became independence but the truth is that it is ruled by the US.

Although the thriving economy enriched a few Cubans, the majority experienced poverty (especially in the countryside), an appalling lack of public services, and unemployment and underemployment. U.S. and other foreign investors controlled the economy, owning about 75 percent of the arable land, 90 percent of the essential services, and 40 percent of the sugar production. And for much of the 1950s, Batista exercised absolute control over the political system.

Despite the efforts made to modernize Cuba most persons remained very poor. However in 1924 Cuba regains a new president Gerardo Machado, but unfortunately was overthrown nine years later. After a period of turmoil Cuba gained a new and democratic constitution and elections were held. In 1952 Fulgencio Batista staged a rebellion in Cuba and became its dictator. At that time compared to other Latin American countries Cuba was flourishing and its people had a relatively high standard of living. Literacy rates were high and health care was relatively good. Education in Cuba was of a high standard. Cuba was known for its writers.

The entire nation of Cuba now undergoes significant changes when Fidel Castro becomes the Prime Minister of Cuba in 1959. The authoritarian leader became a radical hero to millions and an evil oppressor to millions others, especially those Cuban deportees who left their home, families, and possessions searching for freedom in other countries. “Castro became a force in the world by spreading Communism, ending Cuba's relationship with the US, and once nearly brought the world to nuclear war”. By this the living conditions for ordinary people in Cuba became even worse. They suffered shortages of food. So Castro was forced to allow some free enterprise. He also opened up Cuba to tourism. Then in 2008 his brother Raul Castro became President of Cuba, and then Fidel Castro resigned. ‘’President Raúl Castro (who took over for his brother after Fidel underwent surgery in 2006) has indicated that he would like to open a dialogue with the U.S. Fidel himself, upon meeting the congressional Black caucus in early April, reportedly asked, "How can we help President Obama?" — although his later comments reverted to his typical uncooperative, firebrand type. The U.S. has extended a small olive twig to an ailing nation run by the brother of an ailing man, and what happens next is anyone's guess. Will Cuba respond by releasing political prisoners? Allowing free trade? Or will the 82-year-old former President and his brother rebuff the nation that has made it so easy for them to hate? This is, after all, a man the U.S. once tried to kill with a seashell.’’

One will say every good thing most comes to an end but upon till today Cuba is still a dictatorship country. However the end of a period came in 2014 when the USA and Cuba regularized relations.