| For such a little island nation, Cuba has certainly | | | | coup to take control of the government. Batista's |
| played a big part in recent history. Here are ten | | | | reign was marked by wide spread corruption. |
| interesting things about Cuba that you should know. | | | | 6. In 1959, young rebels led by Fidel Castro |
| The Caribbean is full of interesting and beautiful | | | | overthrew Batista. Che Guevara, an Argentine citizen, |
| islands. Cuba is one, but what makes it stick out? | | | | tried to convince new government to pursue |
| Here are some hints. | | | | communism, but Castro resisted. |
| 1. Cuba is an island located at the mouth of the Gulf | | | | 7. In 1960, Cuba signed a trade agreement with the |
| of Mexico. It is the largest island of the Antilles with a | | | | Soviet Union. This infuriated the United States, who |
| total surface area is 110,992 square meters. The | | | | responded with a trade embargo. |
| population is over eleven million people. | | | | 8. In 1961, the United States tried to overthrow |
| 2. Cuba was claimed by Christopher Columbus as a | | | | Castro with the Bay of Pigs invasion. It was a |
| Spanish colony in 1492. In the 1800s, the British | | | | disaster and Fidel Castro responded by officially |
| captured it for one year, but lost it back to Spain the | | | | declaring Cuba a communist country. |
| next year. The United States tried to invade it | | | | 9. In 1962, the Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles on |
| multiple times from Florida. In 1848, the United States | | | | Cuba and the resulting Cuban Missile Crisis was |
| gave up and offered Spain $100 million dollars for | | | | arguably the closest the Soviet Union and United |
| Cuba. The offer was rejected. | | | | States came to global nuclear war. At the last |
| 3. In 1898, the Spanish-American war resulted in Cuba | | | | minute, the Soviets backed down. |
| becoming a US Trusteeship for 20 years and the | | | | 10. Despite the tensions between Cuba and the |
| Spanish being expelled. In 1902, the US abandoned | | | | United States, the US maintains a notorious military |
| this position and granted Cuba its independence. | | | | base on the island at Guantánamo Bay. |
| 4. Cuba was an ally of the United States in World | | | | From a little island to the center of major world |
| War II. | | | | events, Cuba should amaze you. As Fidel Castro |
| 5. In 1952, then president Sergeant Fulgencio Batista | | | | grows older and older, much of the world waits to |
| lost a popular election and responded with a military | | | | see what will happen with his passing. |