The Cuban Identity: truly their own?

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The Cuban Identity: truly their own?

The United States became involved with Cuba's independence struggle with Spain because they had a keen interest in extending their power into offshore colonies. Cuba's sugar trade was a valuable commodity and served as another interest for the United States intervention in the war against Spain in 1898. Although the war had started three years prior to the United States' declaration of war on Spain, they began to exert their influence and power over the colony by infusing a government structured by appointees of President William McKinley. These authorities created the interim Cuban government as a subset of the United States and the politics and social structures of which resembled the United States rather than focusing on a Cuban specific structure. They created a government based on democracy which then drew from the social structure of Cubans of different color voting for positions within this government. Their structure of the Cuban system was strikingly similar to changes that were being undertaken in Louisiana at the time and Cuba was a secondary location to exert similar practices.

McKinley appointed General John Brooke to be the first military governor in 1899 and Brooke had been known for protecting the liberties of black voters in the United States (Scott 155). As Brooke was a foreigner, a few of his policies went under fire from local politicians because he should not have the authority to decree rulings about cultural aspects. His debacle with the determination of acquired property possession during the war included a wishy-washy stance that some Cubans felt was a "threat to the social order" (181). This caused concern and unrest amongst the Cubans because it se...

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...worth for the United States because the military governments attempted to create another US rather than adopting their strategies for a completely different culture and lifestyle. The political structure was initially stressed by Brooke and later Wood would develop a class system that did not suit the Cuban's culture. These governors were vessels to impart the United States' methods for politics and social status and as it became harder to do, the US slowly backed out of supporting the cause for colonization. Although the States were not successful creating either a US or Cuban national structure, their support during wartime allowed the Cubans to eventually enjoy their new freedom from Spain and create their independent culture.

Works Cited

Scott, Rebecca J. Degrees of Freedom: Louisiana and Cuba after Slavery. Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap of Harvard UP, 2005. Print.

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