Cuba: The Emergent Struggle

I. Cuba Remains a Colony

a. Sugar & Slavery
i. Cuba becomes a huge economic asset
ii. Because of this Spain beings in more and more slaves
iii. During the period of international upheaval about slavery, the
creole elite decided that they did not want to cut ties with Spain
because they feared a massive slave revolt
1. there is s of the many slaves
2. this feeling exists because of Haiti
a. revolt in 1790, own nation by 1804
iv. 1817 crown reforms allows cuba free trade to anyone that is
neutral or an ally of Spain
v. This means that aside from political freedom Cubans have
everything they need
vi. Most of the population of Cuba is enslaved
b. Impact of Sugar on Society
i. Biggest Sugar producer
ii. Happens because of a consistent supply of African slaves through
an illegal contraband trade
iii. Changes the society
iv. Used to be a rural empty island
v. 1762 – 1840
1. majority of people are African
vi. Sugar transforms society into an African dominance
vii. Set up a racial hierarchy
1. white = person of prestige automatically
a. lots of spainiards come over because they are
automatically differentiated as prestigious – and can
get good jobs even if poor in Spain
2. degree of african details the rest, the farther from slavery
the better
3. increasingly racial in attitudes and policy
viii. Wealthiest people in Cuban society are the Spanish slave traders
1. this means that the creole land holders are being surprassed,
by the slavers who in turn buy land and become land
holders
2. in order to maintain the sugar production means that they
have to stay on the technological edge
a. requires a lot of money
3. land holders don’t have it – use debt leverage to buy stuff
4. this allows the slavers(Spanish) to acquire land and power
ix. by the 1850’s the commanding heights of the planting economy are
Spanish
x. late 40’s early 50’s british step up opposition to slave trade
 1. Spanish can’t defend slavery
2. Cubans seek annexation into the US
a. US has been doing this by arming a group of people
having them take an area and then applying for
annexation – called filibustering
xi. US attempts to buy Cuba from Spain
1. but they made a mistake by making the negotiations public
in Ostend ( a city in Europe) and blew the deal
xii. by the 1850’s the commitment to slavery in Cuba is very strong
(considering US annexation)
c. Impact of Sugar on Politics
i. There is a gradual split on the island, the west is Spanish
(agricultural area) and the east is creole (urban areas)
ii. Creole elite blames slavery on the rise of Spanish power in Cuba
1. this formed a small abolitionist movement among some of
the creole elite
iii. Wealthy Spaniards in cuba go back and influence policy toward
cuba in Spain
iv. New government takes over in Spain, very liberal
1. pro abolition but also pro imperial (don’t want to lose
Cuba)
2.
II. The Ten Years’ War
a. La politica de atraccion
i. Attempt by the new liberal Spanish government to bring back the
creole elite into loyalty
ii. Creole elite given more political power because they are Spaniards
as well – political equality
1. means the creoles can’t complain they are discriminated
iii. both the Spanish and the creoles begin to mobilize politically in an
attempt to control who represents cuba in parliament
iv. CREATED A PERIOD OF POLITICAL MOBILIZATION
1. got people talking
2. led to party creation
3. though not all in agreement
a. creoles are split in ideas about slavery and
independence
b. Spanish all agree – keep status quo
b. The Struggle
i. Late 60’s conservative party gets concerned with the political
mobilization in Cuba
1. take away political freedom in cuba
2. also decide to increase taxes
ii. directly leads to 10 Years’ War
1. creole leadership decides to break from spain
 2. intend to create a republic and declare this while mobilizing
militarily
3. 1868-1878
iii. Creole leadership divided
1. some want to be independent republic, and some want to
annex with the US
2. but all agree with a break from spain
iv. creoles impose limited abolitionist policy in Cuba during the break
(freedom for military support/service)
v. In 1867 Spanish gov’t begins limited abolitionist policy
1. Moret Law
2. but does not go into effect before the war
vi. Antonio Maseo
1. crucial general for the creoles
2. mulato
vii. Problems for Creoles
1. people of color are fighting/leading
2. can’t agree on direction
3. can’t get any support outside cuba
a. US won’t lend support or recognize the Creole
government
i. Still wants to buy Cuba
4. most of the creole forces are using machete’s as they have
no source for rifles
viii. Maseo told everyone that the way to win was to go into the West,
raise the slaves and level the place
ix. Civilian leadership says that they can’t destroy the economy
because it would be negative economically and make the country
less appealing to the US
1. also afraid that Maseo would make himself a black dictator
x. Maseo believes in the Republican Model, along with his generals
and does not march
xi. Because of this the Cubans can’t win and eventually surrender to
the Spanish in 1878 and negotiate amnesty and the such
1. Maseo does not take amnesty he still opposes the Spanish
Rule.
xii. Shortly afterward Maseo Who would not give in to the Spanish
raised another rebellion called La Guerra Chiquita (1879)
xiii. Lasts about 12 months before he is put down
c. The Legacy