Download Hispanic Influences After Statehood

✥ HISPANIC INFLUENCES AFTER STATEHOOD ✥
Copyright © 2000 Heinle & Heinle
E
ven after Florida became part of the United States in 1821 and a state in 1845, a strong
Hispanic influence was still present. Florida’s geographic proximity to Cuba was the
primary cause of this. When Florida was a new territory, many Spanish governors were born
in Cuba. Florida remained a military outpost for the Spanish government so many of the
colony’s supplies came from Cuba as well. Because the link between the state and the island
was so strong, people and goods moved back and forth with ease.
Key West, 90 miles from Cuba, became a unique island community with a distinctive
ethnic and cultural history. The island’s first cigar manufacturing plant diversified the island’s
economy and brought Cubans to Key West. The name Key West is actually a corruption of the
original Spanish name “Cayo Hueso.” Hueso, Spanish for bone, is pronounced “wesso.” The
Spaniards found many bones, remnants of old Indian battles, on the island when they
discovered it.
Cuba was tiring of Spanish dominance and in 1868 began the Ten Years’ War. At this time
approximately 10% of the Cuban population fled Cuba and established themselves in many
cities of the United States. Many went to Key West. The island soon became the ideal
destination for the majority of Cubans leaving Cuba. By 1876 Cubans became a clear majority
and Spanish became the city’s second language. Many of the Cubans worked in the cigar
factories in Key West. They earned good salaries and had good working conditions. At this
time there were neither immigration processing centers nor customs offices between Cuba
and Florida. The highly demanded cigar factory workers traveled between Florida and Cuba
as if traveling within the United States.
Cigar factory workers’ hired “lectores” to read to them while they worked. The lectores
would sit in a loft above the workers and read aloud from newspapers, novels, and literary
classics. Since many of the workers could not read or write, the lectores educated them and
kept them informed of events taking place in their new community and back in Cuba.
Often, these lectores were exiled writers themselves. Some of the more famous ones
became editors of Spanish-language newspapers in Key West or Tampa. They earned up to
$125 a week. Many were also accused of being political rabble-rousers as they often read
material that dealt with Cuban independence. Because of the money that cigar factory
workers donated to the cause of Cuban independence, Key West was considered the rebel
base for Cubans against Spain.
In 1885 there was a 6-month labor strike in Key West. Cigar factory owner Vicente
Martínez Ybor was the first to accept Tampa’s offer and build a small factory in there. A large
fire in 1886 also caused Martínez Ybor and others to move their cigar factories to Tampa, to
a section we now know as Ybor City. Ybor City became one of the most important cigar
producing centers of Florida. After the founding of Ybor City the population of Tampa jumped
to 5,532 people, 1,313 of whom were Cubans. Soon after arriving the Cubans set up their
lifestyle to resemble the one they had left. Social and fraternal clubs appeared. The Liceo
Cubano was opened as a literary, artistic, and recreational center. Even though they were
starting a new community farther from Cuba, the Cubans never forgot about the
Independence movement.
Copyright © 2000 Heinle & Heinle
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¡Ya veras! Gold
Readings and Activities for Florida Students
Writer José Martí Tampa often visited Tampa. Martí is considered one of the most
important Cuban literary and historical figures. He was born in Cuba to Spanish parents. As a
teenager he was imprisoned for political reasons. After completing several months of hard
labor, he was exiled to Spain. In 1881, after traveling through Europe and Latin America, Martí
decided to live in New York. There he concentrated on writing for newspapers and organized
the struggle for Cuban independence. From 1892 to 1895, Martí spoke in Ybor City at least 17
times. He started revolutionary clubs in Ybor City and other cities in Florida.
Spanish-language newspapers were the voice for the Cuban revolutionary movement in
Key West and Tampa. Since they also reported what was happening in local communities,
Cubans were able to become involved in local politics. In order to vote in local elections
people only had to live in an area for six months. Soon the new Cuban voters elected a Cuban
mayor in Key West, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes. Three Cubans were elected to the Florida
legislature before 1900. Cubans held political office in different elected positions in local,
county, and state government.
Seeing the prosperity of Tampa’s Ybor City, Ocala offered land deals to cigar factory
owners. In 1894 Martí City was established but by 1896 the city had not been able to rival the
progress of Ybor City and was abandoned.
The headline of the Tampa Tribune on May 23, 1895 read “MARTÍ IS KILLED!” Killed in
battle on May 19, 1895, Martí’s death had a great impact on the cigarworkers’ communities
of Florida. He had united the Cubans living in Florida. They had supported him and donated
time and money to the cause for Cuban independence. Their interest in politics allowed them
to exercise their democratic rights and become involved in local politics. Cubans contributed
to the economy in the cities where they had settled by creating new jobs, which promoted the
growth of some of the key areas of Florida. José Martí’s presence in the Cuban communities
of Florida and the Cubans’ interest in the independence movement had a long-range effect
on the state of Florida.
Tampa became the headquarters for Cuban revolutionaries when war broke out between
Spain and Cuba. The Spanish–American war began with the sinking of the battleship Maine
on February 15, 1898. All young Cuban men were called to Tampa to fight for Cuban independence. If Tampa was the headquarters for the Cubans and Americans ready to enlist in the
war against Spain, then Key West was the headquarters for artists, writers, and photographers
waiting for the war to begin. Key West was a logical spot for reporters to be. In 1886 a
suspicious fire burned down almost all of Key West. It started at the Casa Cuba or San Carlos
Institute. The San Carlos Institute was not just a cultural center but a symbol of Cuban
independence. José Martí had visited Key West three times, and its people had given his
movement tremendous financial support.
Key West was also the rendezvous point for the American fleet. From there it began its
blockade of the Cuban coast. As the war advanced captured enemy vessels bound for Spain
would be held at Key West. Some Americans feared that Spain might attack the tiny island
and set up a homeguard. Later in the war, the injured were sent the Convent Hospital in Key
West. The war only lasted 3 months and 22 days but Key West played a very important role.
The United States was directly involved in Cuban politics for many years after the war.
Whatever happened in Cuba directly affected Key West and Florida.
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Level 1, Section C
Hispanic Influences after Statehood
Questions
True or False. Rewrite the false statements so they are true.
1. Florida’s proximity to Cuba made it easy for travel between the two.
2. Some governors of Florida were born in Cuba.
3. The name of Key West comes from an Indian word meaning bone.
4. Key West became a center for cigar factories in the United States.
5. The conditions in the cigar factories were not very good, with low salaries and bad working
conditions.
6. Cubans who lived in Key West set up a lifestyle to resemble the one they had in Cuba.
7.
José Martí was an important governor of Florida.
8. Spanish-language newspapers existed in Key West and Ocala.
9. A large fire in Key West caused the cigar factories to move to Tampa.
10. Vicente Martinez Ybor was against the move to Tampa and encouraged the cigar factory owners
to stay in Key West and rebuild.
11.
Ybor City is the part of Key West where the cigar factories were located.
12. Martí died in battle in Cuba.
13. The United States declared war on Spain the day after the battleship Maine was destroyed.
14. Key West was an important harbor for the United States fleet during the Spanish–American War.
15. The Spanish–American War lasted 3 years and 2 months.
Activities
1. Using the Internet or books find out more about the Spanish–American War, especially the role
played by newspapers. Investigate how Spain lost the Philippines during this same war.
2. Name some of the reasons why you think Cuba would have wanted to be independent. Why
would Spain have wanted to keep Cuba? Divide the class into two groups: those who oppose
independence (the Spaniards) and the Cubans and have a mock debate.
Copyright © 2000 Heinle & Heinle
3. Read some of the things that José Martí wrote. The lyrics from a famous song “Guantanamera” are
from one of his poems. Write a short report and share it with the class.