One of the Caribbean islands that Christopher Columbus stopped at during his 1492-voyage was an alligator-shaped island that sits at the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico in between the Yucatán and Florida peninsulas. This is, of course, is the island of Cuba. What do we know about early Cuba, the island the Spanish described as the “Key to the Indies?” What kind of relationship and exchange did early Cuba have with British North America and the early United States? Ada Ferrer, a Professor of History at New York University and author of Cuba: An American History, joins us to investigate the early history of Cuba. Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/048 Join Ben Franklin's World! Subscribe and help us bring history right to your ears! Sponsor Links Omohundro Institute Colonial Williamsburg Foundation The Ben Franklin's World Shop Complementary Episodes Episode 090: Caitlin Fitz, Age of American Revolutions Episode 104: Andrew Lipman, The Saltwater Frontier Episode 139: Andrés Reséndez, The Other Slavery Episode 161: Smuggling and the American Revolution Episode 165: The Age of Revolutions  Episode 290: The World of the Wampanoag, Part 1 Episode 291: The World of the Wampanoag, Part 2 Episode 313: Mike Duncan, The Marquis de Lafayette   Listen! Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts Amazon Music Ben Franklin's World iOS App Ben Franklin's World Android App Helpful Links Join the Ben Franklin's World Facebook Group Ben Franklin’s World Twitter: @BFWorldPodcast Ben Franklin's World Facebook Page Sign-up for the Franklin Gazette Newsletter