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Year 11
Edexcel

The Cuban Revolution and the Bay of Pigs Invasion

I can explain the consequences of the Cuban Revolution and the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

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New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

The Cuban Revolution and the Bay of Pigs Invasion

I can explain the consequences of the Cuban Revolution and the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. In 1959, Fidel Castro led a nationalist revolution in Cuba which overthrew Batista's unpopular, US-backed government.
  2. Castro confiscated US property; the USA responded with economic sanctions which led Cuba to move closer to the USSR.
  3. The USA's attempt to use CIA-trained, Cuban exiles to overthrow Castro ended with defeat at the Bay of Pigs.
  4. The Bay of Pigs incident damaged the reputation of Kennedy and the USA and meant Cuba and the USSR became closer allies.
  5. Kennedy was concerned that the USSR would place missiles in Cuba but Khrushchev assured him that this would not happen.

Common misconception

Castro was a communist when he overthrew Batista's government in 1959.

Although some people involved in the Cuban Revolution were communist, Castro was a nationalist and only declared that he was a communist at the end of 1961 after the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion led Cuba to develop a closer relationship with the USSR.

Keywords

  • Revolution - a rapid and important change

  • Export - a product or service that is sold and transported to another country

  • Nationalist - someone who strongly believes in and supports their own country, placing its interests above those of other nations

  • CIA - stands for Central Intelligence Agency; part of the US government that is responsible for espionage and secret operations

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

Students could be allocated one of the three leaders they learn about as part of this lesson: Kennedy, Khrushchev and Castro. After identifying all the ways in which they were affected, they could stand on a line to show whether the overall impact was positive or negative and justify their position.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which keyword describes a meeting between leaders to discuss significant issues or make important decisions?
Correct Answer: summit, Summit
Q2.
Write the missing word. Germany suffered from a refugee problem during the 1950s.
Correct Answer: East, east
Q3.
Which country took the decision to construct the Berlin Wall?
East Germany
West Germany
USA
Correct answer: USSR
Q4.
How many people were murdered as they attempted to flee to West Germany between 1961 and 1989?
100
Correct answer: 130
230
Q5.
Which statement is most accurate?
The USA supported the construction of the Berlin Wall.
The USA fought to block the construction of the Berlin Wall.
Correct answer: The USA criticised but accepted the construction of the Berlin Wall.
Q6.
Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into chronological order.
1 - East and West German states founded
2 - Millions of East Germans fled to the West
3 - Khrushchev issued his Berlin Ultimatum
4 - Summit meetings failed to deliver a diplomatic agreement over Berlin's future
5 - Berlin Wall built

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which keyword describes a product or service that is sold and transported to another country?
Correct Answer: export, Export
Q2.
Which keyword describes someone who has been forced to leave their home and live somewhere else, often for political reasons?
Correct Answer: exile, Exile
Q3.
Which US organisation trained Cuban exiles for the Bay of Pigs Invasion?
Correct Answer: CIA, the CIA, Central Intelligence Agency, central intelligence agency
Q4.
Match each individual to the country they led in the early 1960s.
Correct Answer:Fidel Castro,Cuba

Cuba

Correct Answer:Nikita Khrushchev,USSR

USSR

Correct Answer:JFK,USA

USA

Q5.
Why did the USA have strong economic interests in Cuba by the 1950s?
American companies owned large gold mines.
Correct answer: American companies owned large sugar plantations.
Correct answer: American businesses invested in Cuba’s tourist industry.
Correct answer: Cuba’s electricity and telephone networks were controlled by US companies.
American businesses invested in Cuba’s agriculture industry.
Q6.
Which of Esienhower's actions pushed Castro closer to the USSR in 1960?
Correct answer: refused to recognise Castro’s government because of his links to communism
Correct answer: reduced the amount of sugar the USA would buy from Cuba
sent US troops to threaten Castro
placed nuclear missiles pointing at Cuba in US cities

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