Church leaders, such as bishops and archbishops, had influential roles in medieval European monarchies and often served as advisers to a country’s king. The church also acted as a counter against monarchs who wanted absolute power, since there was one power the church had over them -- excommunication. An excommunicated king could face leadership challenges from both inside and outside his kingdom, without the condemnation of church leaders. A clear example of this is King John of England, who was excommunicated from the Catholic Church in the 13th century after a dispute with Pope Innocent III. After encountering numerous difficulties, including the threat of a papal-backed French invasion, John agreed to once again swear fealty to the pope.
The United States had millions of dollars invested in businesses in Cuba and there were many U.S. citizens in residence there. The U.S. also traded goods with Cuba.
