The Rebellion of College Professors in Cuba (1868-1878)

Abstract

After the unsuccessful attempts of colonial reform from the Spanish metropolis on the island of Cuba in the 19^th century, the Ten Years’ War (1868-1878) represented the first phase of a coordinated independence revolution by different organized groups, in which the role of the professors was quite relevant. Nevertheless, there is a gap in the historiographic work about the political importance of these professors in the independence process. Therefore, it is highly relevant to study these actors to understand the colonial policy of public instruction in Cuba, due to the fact that sixty-five percent of the professors were declared insurgents, accused of treason, dispossessed of their positions, imprisoned and many of them were executed during the Great War. As a result, the objectives of this research are not only intended to contribute to the study of the independence movement in Cuba, but also help consolidate collective action studies that are uncommon in Spanish historiography.