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Spanish 9HPeter Straubinger Period 8Los culturas de paises españoles son profundo y muy complejo. Aspectos talcomo gobierno, alimento, musica, tradiciones y otros segmentos de los culturas son muydiferente y interesante. En Cuba, la cultura es Viejo y rico, con muchas hechos intrigan.Cuba is located in the northern Caribbean sea, only one hundred and eightykilometers south from Florida. It spans approximately one hundred and eleven thousandsquare miles, nearly the same area as Pennsylvania. Cuba’s main island is a thin, slightlycurved shape, with a multitude of much smaller islands falling under Cuban dominion.The largest country in the Caribbean area, it is also the sixteenth-largest island in theworld. Cuba’s terrain is mainly flat or composed of rolling plains, with the island’ssoutheast containing more rugged hills and mountains. A tropical climate holds sway over Cuba, with the dry season lasting from November to April and the wet season from Mayto October.Cuba’s government is and has been a point of friction for some time. In 1940, aman named Fulgencio Batista, with the aid of a growing Cuban Communist party, wasable to seize the seat of presidential power in Cuba. This first term was essentiallyuneventful, with Batista stepping down as per the Cuban constitution in 1944. However,he ran for president again in 1952. With polls showing that Batista had no chance of winning the race, he staged a coup on March 10
th
, and, with the aid of both a nationalistsection of the armed forces and the communist party, successfully gained power over Cuba. The United Stated pressured Cuba to hold elections, and Batista agreed in 1954.
 
However, his opponents withdrew from the race due to allegations that Batista wasrigging the elections. Batista could now claim himself to be an elected president, andCuba under his regime was notably corrupt and impoverished. The police force grew wellknown for harsh tactics and violence focused against the populace.In 1956, a party of rebels (including Fidel Castro) arrived in Cuba from Mexicoand attempted to begin a movement of resistance in the Sierra Maestra mountains. Whilemost of the rebels were slain by Batista’s forces, enough remained for a small insurgencyto survive in the mountains. Batista then committed the error of launching a repressioncampaign upon the insurgents, which did little but increase support for the opposition.Feeling against Batista increased through 1957 and 1958, with the United Statesresponding by placing an arms embargo upon Cuba’s government. The communist partyand Batista-friendly mafia still had control of the urban trade unions, however, andattempts to strike against Batista ended in failure. The rebels then succeeded in breaking past the Sierra Maestra in late 1958, and they were joined in their insurrection byhundreds of students and others who had fled the crackdown of dissent in the cities. Oncethe rebels succeeded in capturing Santa Clara, a city east of Havana, Batista fled toPortugal. On January 1
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, 1959, Fidel Castro and his rebel forces entered the capital. Heremained Prime Minister of Cuba until 2006, when he handed power over to his brother Raúl for medical reasons. Cuba currently follows a Socialist-Republican governmentalstance.Cuba has always held some of the highest rates of education and literacy (96%literacy as of 1995) in all of Latin America, throughout the revolution. All education inCuba, including that of universities, is free to citizens. Private education, however, is
 
 banned due to Cuba’s socialist stance. From ages six to sixteen, education is mandatory,and all Cuban students wear uniforms denoting their grade level. During the years of  primary school, Cuba issues to students a “Cumulative School File”. Similar to a reportcard, the File also shows “revolutionary integration”, documenting the child and hisfamily’s participation in mass demonstrations and religious activities. If a child does notdemonstrate Marxist-socialist principles, he will be denied many career opportunities inlater life. In addition, children found speaking about God in any of their classes will havetheir parents strictly reprimanded. Religion goes against Cuba’s communist philosophy,and is discouraged extremely strongly.In Cuban society, loyalty to the state is held above loyalty to one’s parents, It istaught that the state is one’s true father, and government service is held in very highregard. Cuba has one of the lowest birth rates in the Western Hemisphere (11.6 births per thousand people as of 2003), due in part to unrestricted access to legal abortion and highusage of birth control mechanisms.One of Cuba’s main revenue sources is tourism. Cuba’s mild, tropical climate,rich cultural history and scenic beaches all contribute to its desirability as a vacation or leisure getaway. In addition, Cuba’s “Casas Particulares”, similar to Bed and Breakfastresorts elsewhere, are a main attraction. They are often single-family locations, and thechance for a private abode and the ability to mix with local Cuban citizens place thesehouses as a viable option for tourists. Finally, Cuba also generates heavy revenue from“health tourism”, patients traveling from various countries to receive medical treatment inCuba. Patients will arrive from as far away as Europe for treatments of many ailments,retinitis pigmentosa or “Night blindness” in particular.
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