Cuban Culture
Introduction:
Cuba is an island located off of the tip of Florida. In Cuba, the official language is Spanish and a socialist government runs the country. Throughout history, Cuba has been under the influence of Spain, the United States, and the Soviet Union. Visiting Havana is like stepping into the past where skilled laborers have worked hard to run and restore cars from the 1950s.
History:
Before the Spanish laid eyes on Cuba in 1492, the people specialized in agriculture. After 1511, the Spanish began to divide the country into territories. During the 18th century, the people of Cuba depended on their sugarcane as a source of wealth. An aggravation in political and economic differences, as well as strained ethnic relations began the break from Spain in 1898. After the Spanish-American War, the Cubans were granted freedom from Spain through the Treaty of Paris in 1898. However, even with this newfound freedom, the U.S. still stayed and occupied Cuba. They began to modernize the country, especially Havana, by building schools and roads. They also heavily influenced the new republican government in 1902. However, by 1909 the government became corrupt and stayed that way through numerous regimes. It was by the end of the 1950s, that Cuba had become the wealthiest Latin American country. While Cuba became wealthy, the working class was not making money, which paved the path for Fidel Castro to begin a movement he sought to help Cuban workers. Eventually as Cuba began its shift towards socialism, thousands of Cubans, especially the skilled workers and investors emigrated to the United States. It was during the Cold War that Cuba supported the Soviet Union, creating tension between itself and the United States. Although some tensions remain, on December 17th, 2014 both leaders from Cuba and the U.S. appeared before national television audiences to announce a restoration of diplomatic relations between the countries after 50 years.
Flag, Clothes & More:
The typical cuisine in Cuba is pork, fowl, and rice with the use of spices and tropical fruits. Some popular dishes include moros y christianos and ajicao. Oftentimes, families will spend time in the cinema and music plays an important part in cultural life, in fact you may have heard of the Rumba which is practiced here.
For more in depth information, please visit:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/145542/Cuba/233435/Cultural-institutions
Cuba is an island located off of the tip of Florida. In Cuba, the official language is Spanish and a socialist government runs the country. Throughout history, Cuba has been under the influence of Spain, the United States, and the Soviet Union. Visiting Havana is like stepping into the past where skilled laborers have worked hard to run and restore cars from the 1950s.
History:
Before the Spanish laid eyes on Cuba in 1492, the people specialized in agriculture. After 1511, the Spanish began to divide the country into territories. During the 18th century, the people of Cuba depended on their sugarcane as a source of wealth. An aggravation in political and economic differences, as well as strained ethnic relations began the break from Spain in 1898. After the Spanish-American War, the Cubans were granted freedom from Spain through the Treaty of Paris in 1898. However, even with this newfound freedom, the U.S. still stayed and occupied Cuba. They began to modernize the country, especially Havana, by building schools and roads. They also heavily influenced the new republican government in 1902. However, by 1909 the government became corrupt and stayed that way through numerous regimes. It was by the end of the 1950s, that Cuba had become the wealthiest Latin American country. While Cuba became wealthy, the working class was not making money, which paved the path for Fidel Castro to begin a movement he sought to help Cuban workers. Eventually as Cuba began its shift towards socialism, thousands of Cubans, especially the skilled workers and investors emigrated to the United States. It was during the Cold War that Cuba supported the Soviet Union, creating tension between itself and the United States. Although some tensions remain, on December 17th, 2014 both leaders from Cuba and the U.S. appeared before national television audiences to announce a restoration of diplomatic relations between the countries after 50 years.
Flag, Clothes & More:
The typical cuisine in Cuba is pork, fowl, and rice with the use of spices and tropical fruits. Some popular dishes include moros y christianos and ajicao. Oftentimes, families will spend time in the cinema and music plays an important part in cultural life, in fact you may have heard of the Rumba which is practiced here.
For more in depth information, please visit:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/145542/Cuba/233435/Cultural-institutions