Cuba Gains Independence
Prior to the discovery of the island of Cuba by the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus in 1492, it was inhabited by numerous Mesoamerican tribes. Following his arrival, Cuba became a Spanish colony, ruled by a Spanish governor in Havana, which was briefly occupied later on in 1762 by Great Britain before being returned to Spain in exchange of Florida. The tensions between Spain and the United States increased after a series of rebellions in attempt to end the Spanish rule, which resulted in the Spanish-American War, and afterwards the withdrawal of Spain in 1898 and in 1902 Cuba gained formal independence. |