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Year 11
AQA

The Bay of Pigs Invasion

I can analyse the causes, events and consequences of the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

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New
New
Year 11
AQA

The Bay of Pigs Invasion

I can analyse the causes, events and consequences of the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Link copied to clipboard

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The USA opposed the Castro government in Cuba.
  2. The Bay of Pigs Invasion attempted to overthrow Castro.
  3. The Bay of Pigs Invasion was a failure.
  4. The USA's reputation was damaged by the invasion.
  5. Cuba and the Soviet Union deepened their relations after the invasion.

Keywords

  • Provenance - the background of a source including who, why, and when it was written

  • Satellite - a country controlled by or depending on a more powerful country

  • CIA - stands for Central Intelligence Agency; a US intelligence agency used for spying and organising secret operations in other countries

  • Exile - someone who has been forced to leave their home and live somewhere else, often for political reasons

Common misconception

The Bay of Pigs Invasion directly involved US combat forces.

JFK refused to involve US ground troops or air support in the invasion whcih relied upon a small group of Cuban exiles.


To help you plan your year 11 history lesson on: The Bay of Pigs Invasion, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

After Task A, students may also be asked to identify examples from their own knowledge which demonstrate that other Americans shared similar attitudes towards Castro as JFK.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Write the missing word. A of influence is a region dominated by a single state.
Correct Answer: sphere, Sphere
Q2.
Who became leader of Cuba in 1959 after its revolution?
Dwight D Eisenhower
Correct answer: Fidel Castro
Fulgencio Batista
Nikita Khrushchev
Q3.
Which of the following reasons had traditionally created security worries about Cuba in the USA?
Cuba had a history of invading the USA.
Cuba possessed nuclear weapons.
Correct answer: Cuba is less than 150 km away from the USA.
Q4.
Which country did Cuba increasingly cooperate with after the USA began restricting trade with it?
Britain
France
Correct answer: USSR
Q5.
Before the Cuban Revolution, how much of the Cuban mining industry was owned by Americans?
10%
30%
50%
70%
Correct answer: 90%
Q6.
Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into chronological order.
1 - Hungarian Uprising
2 - Khrushchev delivers his Berlin Ultimatum
3 - Castro gains power in Cuba
4 - U-2 spying incident
5 - Berlin Wall constructed

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Write the missing word. A state is a country controlled by or depending on a more powerful country.
Correct Answer: satellite, Satellite
Q2.
Which country backed the Bay of Pigs Invasion?
Correct Answer: USA, America, US, United States, the USA
Q3.
The troops who carried out the Bay of Pigs Invasion were made up of ...
Correct answer: Cuban exiles
US troops
Cuban exiles and US troops jointly
Q4.
Write the missing country name. The appeared weak after the failure of the Bay of Pigs Invasion.
Correct Answer: USA, US, United States, United States of America, America
Q5.
Which statement is most accurate about the consequences of the Bay of Pigs Invasion?
Correct answer: Nikita Khrushchev felt more confident to challenge the USA.
Nikita Khrushchev felt less confident to challenge the USA.
Nikita Khrushchev's confidence to challenge the USA was unchanged.
Q6.
Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into chronological order.
1 - Eisenhower authorises the CIA to plan Castro's overthrow.
2 - JFK becomes president.
3 - Bay of Pigs Invasion is defeated.
4 - Cuba and the USSR deepen their relations.

Additional material

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