“Most of the original settlers in Cuba were poor whites from Spain, seeking a better life. In 1795, Nicolás Morales, a free black man, led both white and black Cubans in a revolt to wrest the island from Spanish control and establish equality between the races. The uprisings started in Bayamo and quickly spread throughout the eastern part of the island. For the most part, the rebellions were about political independence and the abolition of sales taxes. The rebels were no match for the Spanish army that easily overpowered them. However, this was just the beginning of a protracted struggle for the freedom of the Cuban people.” Cuban HistoryCuban IndependenceBayamo Author:Captain Hank Bracker, "The Exciting Story of Cuba"