The island of Cuba was inhabited by various Amerindian cultures prior to the arrival of the Genoese explorer Christopher Columbus in 1492. After his arrival on a Spanish expedition, Spain conquered Cuba and appointed Spanish governors to rule in Havana.
Explanation: After the Spanish American War, Americans were convinced that Cubans could not govern themselves. The Platt Amendment was then used to allow the U.S. to basically completely control Cuba trade and government. The U.S. then used Cuba for economic purposes by dominating their various industries, imports, and exports. After the Spanish-Cuban-American war for Cuba's independence, the U.S took over Cuba, and thus anti-colonial tensions arose because the Cuban's were again unable to profit from their own resources, control their own economy, or govern themselves without some US involvement.
