Presentation

America & Cuba

Cuba is a pretty big island located in the Caribbean in the south-east of the United States, more precisely in the south of Florida . The relations between these two countries began a long time ago where they were not independent yet. Indeed, at first, America was a British colony and Cuba was under Spanish domination. But they still had relations, especially commercial. Nevertheless, America gradually gained a certain influence all over Cuba’s economy and politics.

How have been the relations between America & Cuba evolving?

I – Early relations

II – Cuban Revolution (turning point)

III – Consequences of these relations

The proximity between the American mainland and Cuba is a first reason to the development of their trade relations. Cuba turned into a major partner in that region through legal and illegal trade. In 1776, Americans did their independence war and escaped from British domination. So Spain opened Cuban ports to the United States the same year but it turned out that the island became very dependent of these trade relations. Indeed, in 1877, 82 percent of Cuba’s exports were bound for the United States and many American corporations were installed on the island. That’s why this one began to consider Cuba as a possible annexation to their country. Consequently, American diplomats devised with the Ostend Manifesto (1854) a secret plan to buy Cuba from the Spanish for 130 million dollars but the plan did not succeed. In the same time, Cubans began to rebel against Spanish domination and their independence war started on February 24th, 1895. Three years later, the United States intervened in the war in favor of Cuba which led to the Spanish capitulation. In December 1898, the treaty of Paris declared Cuba free from Spain but the island had to be administrated by the United States. So Cuba’s sovereignty just changed hands and the island was not yet independent. This American control lasted until 1902