Fidel Castro Ruz (born August 13, 1926) has been the leader of Cuba since 1959, when, leading the 26th of July Movement, he overthrew the regime of Fulgencio Batista. Following the Cuban Revolution, Castro oversaw the transformation of Cuba into the first Communist state in the Western Hemisphere. Castro first attracted attention in Cuban political life through his student activism. His outspoken nationalism, and radical critique of Batista and US corporate and political influence in Cuba, brought a receptive following as well ...

Including:

• Fidel Castro - Early life
• Fidel Castro - Attack on Moncada Barracks
• Fidel Castro - Life as a guerilla
• Fidel Castro - Early years in power
• Fidel Castro - Bay of Pigs
• Fidel Castro - October Crisis
• Fidel Castro - Relations with the outside world
• Fidel Castro - Remaining as president
• Fidel Castro - Criticisms of the United States
• Fidel Castro - Religion
• Fidel Castro - Human rights in Cuba
• Fidel Castro - Popular image
• Fidel Castro - Family and health

Read more here: » Fidel Castro: Encyclopedia - Fidel Castro

History of Cuba - Spanish Colonial Cuba. Cuba was first visited by Europeans when explorer Christopher Columbus landed on the island of Cuba for the first time on October 28, 1492. Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar led the Spanish invasion, and became governor of Cuba for Spain. The Spanish established sugar and tobacco as Cuba's primary products. As the native Indian population and the Spanish intermarried and educated, field labor became scarce. Natives from Florida and Bahama were imported as slaves, and as ...

See also:

History of Cuba, History of Cuba - Pre-Columbian Cuba, History of Cuba - Conquest of Cuba, History of Cuba - Spanish Colonial Cuba, History of Cuba - Sugar Plantations, History of Cuba - Cuban Bandits, History of Cuba - Independence from Spain, History of Cuba - Cuba in the Early 20th Century, History of Cuba - The Cuban Revolution, History of Cuba - Communist Cuba, History of Cuba - Bay of Pigs Invasion, History of Cuba - The Cuban Missile Crisis, History of Cuba - Cuba after the Soviet Union

Read more here: » History of Cuba: Encyclopedia II - History of Cuba - Conquest of Cuba

On January 1, 1959, Castro's forces entered Havana and on January 5 the liberal law professor José Miró Cardona created a new government with himself as prime minister and Manuel Urrutia Lleó as president. On January 8 Castro himself arrived in Havana and assumed the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. In February, however, Miró resigned and Castro assumed the role nearly a month later after initially rejecting the offer; and in July, Urrutia resigned and was replaced by Osvaldo Dorticós Tor ...

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Fidel Castro, Fidel Castro - Early life, Fidel Castro - Attack on Moncada Barracks, Fidel Castro - Life as a guerilla, Fidel Castro - Early years in power, Fidel Castro - Bay of Pigs, Fidel Castro - October Crisis, Fidel Castro - Relations with the outside world, Fidel Castro - Remaining as president, Fidel Castro - Criticisms of the United States, Fidel Castro - Religion, Fidel Castro - Human rights in Cuba, Fidel Castro - Popular image, Fidel Castro - Family and health, Fidel Castro - Castro in arts

Read more here: » Fidel Castro: Encyclopedia II - Fidel Castro - Early years in power

Relations between the United States and Cuba deteriorated rapidly as the Cuban government, in reaction to the U.S refusal to refine Soviet oil in refineries located in Cuba, expropriated U.S. properties, notably those belonging to the International Telephone and Telegraph Company (ITT) and the United Fruit Company. This was in line with Castro's anti-U.S. ideologies used to gain support at home and abroad. In the Castro government's first agrarian reform law on May 17, 1959 it sought to limit the size of land holdings, and to distribute that ...

See also:

History of Cuba, History of Cuba - Pre-Columbian Cuba, History of Cuba - Conquest of Cuba, History of Cuba - Spanish Colonial Cuba, History of Cuba - Sugar Plantations, History of Cuba - Anti slavery movements and the Conspiración de La Escalera, History of Cuba - Minor Wars, History of Cuba - Cuban Bandits, History of Cuba - Independence from Spain, History of Cuba - Cuba in the Early 20th Century, History of Cuba - The Cuban Revolution, History of Cuba - Communist Cuba, History of Cuba - Bay of Pigs Invasion, History of Cuba - The Cuban Missile Crisis, History of Cuba - Cuba after the Soviet Union, History of Cuba - Women in Cuba Herstory, History of Cuba - Race and Women, History of Cuba - Sexual culture, History of Cuba - References, History of Cuba - Culture, History of Cuba - List of Cuban poetry and Poets authors and literature

Read more here: » History of Cuba: Encyclopedia II - History of Cuba - Communist Cuba

The archeological record and evidence from mitochondrial DNA studies indicate that Cuba and the Antilles have been inhabited by peoples ancestral to the indigenous inhabitants for at least several thousand years. Some studies ascribe a role to these original inhabitants in the disappearance of the islands' megafauna, including condors [1], giant owls [2] and eventually groundsloths [3]. Before 1492 Cuba was populated by at least two distinct indigenous peoples: Taíno and Ciboney (or Siboney) (some consider these populations to be neo ...

See also:

History of Cuba, History of Cuba - Pre-Columbian Cuba, History of Cuba - Conquest of Cuba, History of Cuba - Spanish Colonial Cuba, History of Cuba - Sugar Plantations, History of Cuba - Anti slavery movements and the Conspiración de La Escalera, History of Cuba - Minor Wars, History of Cuba - Cuban Bandits, History of Cuba - Independence from Spain, History of Cuba - Cuba in the Early 20th Century, History of Cuba - The Cuban Revolution, History of Cuba - Communist Cuba, History of Cuba - Bay of Pigs Invasion, History of Cuba - The Cuban Missile Crisis, History of Cuba - Cuba after the Soviet Union, History of Cuba - Women in Cuba Herstory, History of Cuba - Race and Women, History of Cuba - Sexual culture, History of Cuba - References, History of Cuba - Culture, History of Cuba - List of Cuban poetry and Poets authors and literature

Read more here: » History of Cuba: Encyclopedia II - History of Cuba - Pre-Columbian Cuba

In 1902, the United States handed over control to a Cuban government that as a condition of the transfer had included in its constitution provisions implementing the requirements of the Platt Amendment, which among other things gave the United States the right to intervene militarily in Cuba. Land that was in ruins was acquired by U.S. investors, leading to the United States soon controlling three-quarters of the Cuban sugar, the main basis for the Cuban economy. Havana and Varadero became tourist resorts, riddled with casinos and strip-club ...

See also:

History of Cuba, History of Cuba - Pre-Columbian Cuba, History of Cuba - Conquest of Cuba, History of Cuba - Spanish Colonial Cuba, History of Cuba - Sugar Plantations, History of Cuba - Cuban Bandits, History of Cuba - Independence from Spain, History of Cuba - Cuba in the Early 20th Century, History of Cuba - The Cuban Revolution, History of Cuba - Communist Cuba, History of Cuba - Bay of Pigs Invasion, History of Cuba - The Cuban Missile Crisis, History of Cuba - Cuba after the Soviet Union

Read more here: » History of Cuba: Encyclopedia II - History of Cuba - Cuba in the Early 20th Century

Relations between the United States and Cuba deteriorated rapidly as the Cuban government, in reaction to the U.S refusal to refine Soviet oil in refineries located in Cuba, expropriated U.S. properties, notably those belonging to the International Telephone and Telegraph Company (ITT) and the United Fruit Company. This was in line with Castro's anti-U.S. ideologies used to gain support at home and abroad. In the Castro government's first agrarian reform law on May 17, 1959 it sought to limit the size of land holdings, and to distribute that ...

See also:

History of Cuba, History of Cuba - Pre-Columbian Cuba, History of Cuba - Conquest of Cuba, History of Cuba - Spanish Colonial Cuba, History of Cuba - Sugar Plantations, History of Cuba - Cuban Bandits, History of Cuba - Independence from Spain, History of Cuba - Cuba in the Early 20th Century, History of Cuba - The Cuban Revolution, History of Cuba - Communist Cuba, History of Cuba - Bay of Pigs Invasion, History of Cuba - The Cuban Missile Crisis, History of Cuba - Cuba after the Soviet Union

Read more here: » History of Cuba: Encyclopedia II - History of Cuba - Communist Cuba

Fidel Castro, a young lawyer from a wealthy family, and a history of political violence, who was running for a seat in the Chamber of Representatives for the Partido Ortodoxo, circulated a petition to depose Batista's government on the grounds that it had illegitimately suspended the electoral process. However, the petition was not acted upon by the courts. On July 26, 1953 Castro led a historical attack on the Moncada Barracks near Santiago de Cuba, but failed and was jailed until 1955, when amnesty was given to many political prison ...

See also:

History of Cuba, History of Cuba - Pre-Columbian Cuba, History of Cuba - Conquest of Cuba, History of Cuba - Spanish Colonial Cuba, History of Cuba - Sugar Plantations, History of Cuba - Cuban Bandits, History of Cuba - Independence from Spain, History of Cuba - Cuba in the Early 20th Century, History of Cuba - The Cuban Revolution, History of Cuba - Communist Cuba, History of Cuba - Bay of Pigs Invasion, History of Cuba - The Cuban Missile Crisis, History of Cuba - Cuba after the Soviet Union

Read more here: » History of Cuba: Encyclopedia II - History of Cuba - The Cuban Revolution

In 1812 a mixed race abolitionist conspiracy was organized José Antonio Aponte, a free black carpenter in Havana and others were executed [6]. Cubans began to have an interest in abolishing slavery, and a number of plots and rebellions occurred. One of the most significant was the Conspiración de "La Escalera which occurred circa 1840-1844. In this event, once viewed [7] as an excuse to rid the Island of rebellious abolationists, is now viewed as real if frustrated plot (see comments in new translation of Villaverde's "Cecilia Vald� ...

See also:

History of Cuba, History of Cuba - Pre-Columbian Cuba, History of Cuba - Conquest of Cuba, History of Cuba - Spanish Colonial Cuba, History of Cuba - Sugar Plantations, History of Cuba - Anti slavery movements and the Conspiración de La Escalera, History of Cuba - Minor Wars, History of Cuba - Cuban Bandits, History of Cuba - Independence from Spain, History of Cuba - Cuba in the Early 20th Century, History of Cuba - The Cuban Revolution, History of Cuba - Communist Cuba, History of Cuba - Bay of Pigs Invasion, History of Cuba - The Cuban Missile Crisis, History of Cuba - Cuba after the Soviet Union, History of Cuba - Women in Cuba Herstory, History of Cuba - Race and Women, History of Cuba - Sexual culture, History of Cuba - References, History of Cuba - Culture, History of Cuba - List of Cuban poetry and Poets authors and literature

Read more here: » History of Cuba: Encyclopedia II - History of Cuba - Anti slavery movements and the Conspiración de La Escalera

Women comprise more than half the population of Cuba, and their Herstory is far less known than that of their male counterparts. As in many countries, historically women in Cuba were and still are considered less than equal, but Castro supporters (Liss, 1984, 1994) believe not nearly as much as before The Cuban Revolution. Much of the Liss (1994) material appears in prior Fidel Castro speeches e.g. “In the past women held no jobs or worked as ...

See also:

History of Cuba, History of Cuba - Pre-Columbian Cuba, History of Cuba - Conquest of Cuba, History of Cuba - Spanish Colonial Cuba, History of Cuba - Sugar Plantations, History of Cuba - Anti slavery movements and the Conspiración de La Escalera, History of Cuba - Minor Wars, History of Cuba - Cuban Bandits, History of Cuba - Independence from Spain, History of Cuba - Cuba in the Early 20th Century, History of Cuba - The Cuban Revolution, History of Cuba - Communist Cuba, History of Cuba - Bay of Pigs Invasion, History of Cuba - The Cuban Missile Crisis, History of Cuba - Cuba after the Soviet Union, History of Cuba - Women in Cuba Herstory, History of Cuba - Race and Women, History of Cuba - Sexual culture, History of Cuba - References, History of Cuba - Culture, History of Cuba - List of Cuban poetry and Poets authors and literature

Read more here: » History of Cuba: Encyclopedia II - History of Cuba - Women in Cuba Herstory

(just a start please add) de Balboa y Troya de Quesada, Silvestre (1563-1649) 1608 Espejo de Paciencia. [49]. First known Cuban narrative poem deals with the killing of an attacking pirate by the people of Bayamo Gómez de Avellaneda, Gertrudis (1814-1873) Her large body of excellent work includes the anti-slavery novel "Dos mugeres" (1842) and the play "Baltasar" (1858) [50] Lazo, Rodrigo 2005 Writing to Cuba Filibustering and Cuban Ex ...

See also:

History of Cuba, History of Cuba - Pre-Columbian Cuba, History of Cuba - Conquest of Cuba, History of Cuba - Spanish Colonial Cuba, History of Cuba - Sugar Plantations, History of Cuba - Anti slavery movements and the Conspiración de La Escalera, History of Cuba - Minor Wars, History of Cuba - Cuban Bandits, History of Cuba - Independence from Spain, History of Cuba - Cuba in the Early 20th Century, History of Cuba - The Cuban Revolution, History of Cuba - Communist Cuba, History of Cuba - Bay of Pigs Invasion, History of Cuba - The Cuban Missile Crisis, History of Cuba - Cuba after the Soviet Union, History of Cuba - Women in Cuba Herstory, History of Cuba - Race and Women, History of Cuba - Sexual culture, History of Cuba - References, History of Cuba - Culture, History of Cuba - List of Cuban poetry and Poets authors and literature

Read more here: » History of Cuba: Encyclopedia II - History of Cuba - List of Cuban poetry and Poets authors and literature

Fidel Castro, a young lawyer from a wealthy family, and a history of political violence, who was running for a seat in the Chamber of Representatives for the Partido Ortodoxo, circulated a petition to depose Batista's government on the grounds that it had illegitimately suspended the electoral process. However, the petition was not acted upon by the courts. On July 26, 1953 Castro led a historical attack on the Moncada Barracks near Santiago de Cuba, but failed and was jailed until 1955, when amnesty was given to many political prison ...

See also:

History of Cuba, History of Cuba - Pre-Columbian Cuba, History of Cuba - Conquest of Cuba, History of Cuba - Spanish Colonial Cuba, History of Cuba - Sugar Plantations, History of Cuba - Anti slavery movements and the Conspiración de La Escalera, History of Cuba - Minor Wars, History of Cuba - Cuban Bandits, History of Cuba - Independence from Spain, History of Cuba - Cuba in the Early 20th Century, History of Cuba - The Cuban Revolution, History of Cuba - Communist Cuba, History of Cuba - Bay of Pigs Invasion, History of Cuba - The Cuban Missile Crisis, History of Cuba - Cuba after the Soviet Union, History of Cuba - Women in Cuba Herstory, History of Cuba - Race and Women, History of Cuba - Sexual culture, History of Cuba - References, History of Cuba - Culture, History of Cuba - List of Cuban poetry and Poets authors and literature

Read more here: » History of Cuba: Encyclopedia II - History of Cuba - The Cuban Revolution

In 1902, the United States handed over control to a Cuban government that as a condition of the transfer had included in its constitution provisions implementing the requirements of the Platt Amendment, which among other things gave the United States the right to intervene militarily in Cuba. Land that was in ruins was acquired by U.S. investors, leading to the United States soon controlling three-quarters of the Cuban sugar, the main basis for the Cuban economy. Havana and Varadero became tourist resorts, riddled with casinos and strip-club ...

See also:

History of Cuba, History of Cuba - Pre-Columbian Cuba, History of Cuba - Conquest of Cuba, History of Cuba - Spanish Colonial Cuba, History of Cuba - Sugar Plantations, History of Cuba - Anti slavery movements and the Conspiración de La Escalera, History of Cuba - Minor Wars, History of Cuba - Cuban Bandits, History of Cuba - Independence from Spain, History of Cuba - Cuba in the Early 20th Century, History of Cuba - The Cuban Revolution, History of Cuba - Communist Cuba, History of Cuba - Bay of Pigs Invasion, History of Cuba - The Cuban Missile Crisis, History of Cuba - Cuba after the Soviet Union, History of Cuba - Women in Cuba Herstory, History of Cuba - Race and Women, History of Cuba - Sexual culture, History of Cuba - References, History of Cuba - Culture, History of Cuba - List of Cuban poetry and Poets authors and literature

Read more here: » History of Cuba: Encyclopedia II - History of Cuba - Cuba in the Early 20th Century

Conspiracy to overthrow the Spanish rule started a little after Simon Bolivar with support from nominally Mercenary English troops defeated Spain in the Battle of Carabobo in 1821. Blacks and whites began acting together overthrow slavery and colonial rule. In 1826 the first armed uprising for independence took place in Puerto Príncipe (Camagüey Province), led by Francisco de Agüero and Andrés Manuel Sánchez. Agüero (white) and Sánchez (mulato, of mixed African and European ancestry) were executed, becoming the first martyrs of Cuban ...

See also:

History of Cuba, History of Cuba - Pre-Columbian Cuba, History of Cuba - Conquest of Cuba, History of Cuba - Spanish Colonial Cuba, History of Cuba - Sugar Plantations, History of Cuba - Anti slavery movements and the Conspiración de La Escalera, History of Cuba - Minor Wars, History of Cuba - Cuban Bandits, History of Cuba - Independence from Spain, History of Cuba - Cuba in the Early 20th Century, History of Cuba - The Cuban Revolution, History of Cuba - Communist Cuba, History of Cuba - Bay of Pigs Invasion, History of Cuba - The Cuban Missile Crisis, History of Cuba - Cuba after the Soviet Union, History of Cuba - Women in Cuba Herstory, History of Cuba - Race and Women, History of Cuba - Sexual culture, History of Cuba - References, History of Cuba - Culture, History of Cuba - List of Cuban poetry and Poets authors and literature

Read more here: » History of Cuba: Encyclopedia II - History of Cuba - Minor Wars

History of Cuba - Spanish Colonial Cuba. Cuba was first visited by Europeans when explorer Christopher Columbus landed on the island of Cuba for the first time on October 28, 1492. Two decades later, Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar led the Spanish invasion, and became governor of Cuba for Spain. The Spanish established sugar and tobacco as Cuba's primary products. As the native Indian population and the Spanish intermarried and educated, field labor became scarce. Natives from Florida and Bahama were imported ...

See also:

History of Cuba, History of Cuba - Pre-Columbian Cuba, History of Cuba - Conquest of Cuba, History of Cuba - Spanish Colonial Cuba, History of Cuba - Sugar Plantations, History of Cuba - Anti slavery movements and the Conspiración de La Escalera, History of Cuba - Minor Wars, History of Cuba - Cuban Bandits, History of Cuba - Independence from Spain, History of Cuba - Cuba in the Early 20th Century, History of Cuba - The Cuban Revolution, History of Cuba - Communist Cuba, History of Cuba - Bay of Pigs Invasion, History of Cuba - The Cuban Missile Crisis, History of Cuba - Cuba after the Soviet Union, History of Cuba - Women in Cuba Herstory, History of Cuba - Race and Women, History of Cuba - Sexual culture, History of Cuba - References, History of Cuba - Culture, History of Cuba - List of Cuban poetry and Poets authors and literature

Read more here: » History of Cuba: Encyclopedia II - History of Cuba - Conquest of Cuba

Fidel Castro's parents were Lina Ruz González and Ángel Castro y Argiz. He has two brothers: Ramón (born in 1924), Raúl (born in 1931) and at least two sisters Juanita Castro Ruz who lives in Miami, Florida and Agustina Castro Ruz who lives in Habana, Cuba. By his first wife Mirta Díaz-Balart, he has a son named Fidel "Fidelito" Castro-Díaz-Balart. Mirta left Cuba in 1954 taking Fidelito with her, and she divorced Castro later the same year. Fidelito was later returned to Cuba. Mirta now lives in Spain. By Fidel's second wife Dalia Sot ...

See also:

Fidel Castro, Fidel Castro - Early life, Fidel Castro - Attack on Moncada Barracks, Fidel Castro - Life as a guerilla, Fidel Castro - Early years in power, Fidel Castro - Bay of Pigs, Fidel Castro - October Crisis, Fidel Castro - Relations with the outside world, Fidel Castro - Remaining as president, Fidel Castro - Criticisms of the United States, Fidel Castro - Religion, Fidel Castro - Human rights in Cuba, Fidel Castro - Popular image, Fidel Castro - Family and health, Fidel Castro - Castro in arts

Read more here: » Fidel Castro: Encyclopedia II - Fidel Castro - Family and health

Castro was born into a wealthy farming family in Birán, near Mayarí, Holguín Province (formerly Oriente Province) and not far from the birthplace of Fulgencio Batista, the man whose government he was to overthrow. The son of a fomer colonial soldier Ángel Castro y Argiz (and immigrant (after 1898) from Galicia, Spain) and his cook, Lina Ruz González, Castro has two brothers: Ramón, who has a position in the agriculture department and is said to run the family estates; and half-brother Raúl, the Cuban defense minister. Castro also has at least one other sibling, his sist ...

See also:

Fidel Castro, Fidel Castro - Early life, Fidel Castro - Attack on Moncada Barracks, Fidel Castro - Life as a guerilla, Fidel Castro - Early years in power, Fidel Castro - Bay of Pigs, Fidel Castro - October Crisis, Fidel Castro - Relations with the outside world, Fidel Castro - Remaining as president, Fidel Castro - Criticisms of the United States, Fidel Castro - Religion, Fidel Castro - Human rights in Cuba, Fidel Castro - Popular image, Fidel Castro - Family and health, Fidel Castro - Castro in arts

Read more here: » Fidel Castro: Encyclopedia II - Fidel Castro - Early life

Once in Mexico, Castro reunited with other exiles and founded the 26th of July Movement. They went to the United States, where they gathered funds from Cubans living in that country. Medical doctor Ernesto "Che" Guevara joined the group in Mexico. In Mexico the group trained under Spanish Civil War Veteran, Cuban born [19], Alberto Bayo Giraud, [20], who had fled to Mexico. On November 26, 1956 they returned to Cuba, sailing from Tuxpan ...

See also:

Fidel Castro, Fidel Castro - Early life, Fidel Castro - Attack on Moncada Barracks, Fidel Castro - Life as a guerilla, Fidel Castro - Early years in power, Fidel Castro - Bay of Pigs, Fidel Castro - October Crisis, Fidel Castro - Relations with the outside world, Fidel Castro - Remaining as president, Fidel Castro - Criticisms of the United States, Fidel Castro - Religion, Fidel Castro - Human rights in Cuba, Fidel Castro - Popular image, Fidel Castro - Family and health, Fidel Castro - Castro in arts

Read more here: » Fidel Castro: Encyclopedia II - Fidel Castro - Life as a guerilla

Since Fidel Castro came to power, he and his government have exhibited many traits of personalist rule commonly attributed to a cult of personality, despite attempts to discourage it. In contrast to many of the world's modern strongmen, Castro has only twice been personally featured on a Cuban stamp. In 1974 he appeared on a stamp to commemorate the visit of Leonid Brezhnev, and in 1999 he appeared on a stamp commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Revolution. There has been a strong tendency to encourage reverence for other Cuban figures such as José Martí, Che Guevara, and the "martyrs" of t ...

See also:

Fidel Castro, Fidel Castro - Early life, Fidel Castro - Attack on Moncada Barracks, Fidel Castro - Life as a guerilla, Fidel Castro - Early years in power, Fidel Castro - Bay of Pigs, Fidel Castro - October Crisis, Fidel Castro - Relations with the outside world, Fidel Castro - Remaining as president, Fidel Castro - Criticisms of the United States, Fidel Castro - Religion, Fidel Castro - Human rights in Cuba, Fidel Castro - Popular image, Fidel Castro - Family and health, Fidel Castro - Castro in arts

Read more here: » Fidel Castro: Encyclopedia II - Fidel Castro - Popular image

Some studies report that thousands of political opponents have been killed during Castro's decades-long leadership. [34]; however, given the nature of the sources of this information and how it is tabulated, including or not including those dead in Cuban external and internal wars, exact numbers are not known. Some Cubans who have been labeled "counterrevolutionaries", "fascists", or "CIA operatives" have been imprisoned in extremely poor conditions without trial; at least some have been summarily executed. Military Units to Aid Production, ...

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Fidel Castro, Fidel Castro - Early life, Fidel Castro - Attack on Moncada Ba