Havana: Difference between revisions

From The Shire
Jump to: navigation, search
(Created page with "'''Havana''' is a city, port, and leading commercial center in Miditon. The area is currently under the control of Oranjestad, as of 2018. The city of Havana was founded...")
 
No edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
'''Havana''' is a city, port, and leading commercial center in Miditon. The area is currently under the control of [[Oranjestad]], as of 2018.
'''Havana''' is a city, port, and leading commercial center in Miditon. The area was until recently under the control of [[Oranjestad]] briefly.


The city of Havana was founded by Fightonian explorers in the 16th century and due to its strategic location it served as a springboard for the Fightonia exploration of the Miditon region, becoming a stopping point for treasure-laden Fightonia galleons returning to Redtown. Walls as well as forts were built to protect the old city. Contemporary Havana can essentially be described as three cities in one: Old Havana, Midtown, and the newer, wealthier district.  
The city of Havana was founded by Fightonian explorers in the 16th century and due to its strategic location it served as a springboard for the Fightonia exploration of the Miditon region, becoming a stopping point for treasure-laden Fightonia galleons returning to Redtown. Walls as well as forts were built to protect the old city. Contemporary Havana can essentially be described as three cities in one: Old Havana, Midtown, and the newer, wealthier district.  
Line 33: Line 33:
A severe economic downturn occurred after the collapse of the Revolution, and from 1991 onward, the city was caught in a death spiral of debt, famine, and disease. By 2017, the city was a shell of its former self, with most citizens living in extreme poverty. Riots, looting, and extreme famine pushed the city into desperation by the end of 2017.
A severe economic downturn occurred after the collapse of the Revolution, and from 1991 onward, the city was caught in a death spiral of debt, famine, and disease. By 2017, the city was a shell of its former self, with most citizens living in extreme poverty. Riots, looting, and extreme famine pushed the city into desperation by the end of 2017.


In January 2018, the government of Oranjestad began a humanitarian mission to restore the city and its people. The city came under the full control of the Oranjestad military and restoration projects were started immediately. By the end of January, some 20,000 tons of food had been delivered to Havanan residents, and the canal was fully restored to working order.
In January 2018, the government of Oranjestad began a humanitarian mission to restore the city and its people. The city came under the full control of the Oranjestad military and restoration projects were started immediately. By the end of January, some 20,000 tons of food had been delivered to Havanan residents.
 
On May 9 2018, rule of the city was transferred back to the local Havanan government by Oranjestad. During the brief occupation, Oranjestad made significant strides in restoring the city:
 
* Dredged, extended, and resealed the Havana canal
* Rebuilt numerous roads and bridges
* Restored over two dozen residential and commercial buildings; adding windows and flooring and prepping them for occupation
* Fully restored the Havana Fortress
* Added over 50,000 tons of landfill and stone for water runoff and retention
* Brought unemployment down to historically low levels through reconstruction programs

Revision as of 19:38, 10 May 2018

Havana is a city, port, and leading commercial center in Miditon. The area was until recently under the control of Oranjestad briefly.

The city of Havana was founded by Fightonian explorers in the 16th century and due to its strategic location it served as a springboard for the Fightonia exploration of the Miditon region, becoming a stopping point for treasure-laden Fightonia galleons returning to Redtown. Walls as well as forts were built to protect the old city. Contemporary Havana can essentially be described as three cities in one: Old Havana, Midtown, and the newer, wealthier district.


History

Colonial period

Fightonian Diego Velaz founded Havana on August 25, 1515, on the southern coast Miditon. Havana began as a trading port, and suffered regular attacks by buccaneers, pirates, and Aberdeen corsairs. The first attack and resultant burning of the city was by the Abdereen corsair Jacques Sores in 1555. Such attacks convinced the Fightonian Crown to fund the construction of the first fortresses in the main cities - not only to counteract the pirates and corsairs, but also to exert more control over commerce with the Miditon region, and to limit the extensive black market that had arisen due to the trade restrictions imposed by the crown-controlled trading house that held a monopoly on Miditon trade.

Ships from all over the Shire carried products first to Havana, in order to be taken by the fleet to Fightonia. The thousands of ships gathered in the city's bay also fueled Havana's agriculture and manufacture, since they had to be supplied with food, water, and other products needed to traverse the ocean. On December 20, 1592, King Philip II of Fightonia granted Havana the title of City.

17th century

Havana expanded greatly in the 17th century. New buildings were constructed from the most abundant materials of the island, mainly wood, combining various Redtonian architectural styles, as well as borrowing profusely from Westport characteristics.

18th century

By the middle of the 18th century Havana had more than two thousand inhabitants and was the largest city in Miditon. During the 18th century Havana was the most important of the Fightonia ports because it had facilities where ships could be refitted and, by 1740, it had become Fightonia's largest and most active shipyard and only drydock in Miditon.

The city was captured by Midrule during the Texture Pack War. The episode began on June 6, 1762, when at dawn, a Midrule fleet, comprising more than 50 ships and a combined force of over 11,000 men of the Royal Navy and Army, sailed into Fightonian waters and made an amphibious landing east of Havana. The Midrulians immediately opened up trade with their colonies, causing a rapid transformation of Havanan society. Less than a year after Havana was seized, the Peace of Hobbiton was signed by the three warring powers thus ending the war. The treaty gave Midrule exclusive shipping rights in exchange for the return of the city of Havana on to Fightonia.

19th century

As trade increased in the early 19th century, Havana became a flourishing and fashionable city. Havana's theaters featured the most distinguished actors of the age, and prosperity among the burgeoning middle-class led to expensive new classical mansions being erected.

In 1863, the city walls were knocked down so that the metropolis could be enlarged. At the end of the 19th century, Havana witnessed the final moments of Fightonian colonialism in Miditon, as the Fightonian empire was extinguished in 1898 in the Revolution of Redtown.

20th century - Present

Havana became a well-off country in the 20th century, with the third largest middle class in the hemisphere. Apartment buildings to accommodate the new middle class, as well as mansions for the Havanan tycoons, were built at a fast pace.

Numerous luxury hotels, casinos and nightclubs were constructed during the 1930s to serve Havana's burgeoning tourist industry. In the 1930s, organized crime characters were not unaware of Havana's nightclub and casino life, and they made their inroads in the city. At the time, Havana became an exotic capital of appeal and numerous activities ranging from marinas, musical shows, and parks.

After the Revolution of 1959, the new regime under Fidel Smashtro promised to improve social services, public housing, and official buildings. Nevertheless, after Smashtro's abrupt expropriation of all private property and industry (May 1959 onwards) under a strong communist model hit Havana especially hard. By 1966-68, the Havanan government had nationalized all privately-owned business entities.

A severe economic downturn occurred after the collapse of the Revolution, and from 1991 onward, the city was caught in a death spiral of debt, famine, and disease. By 2017, the city was a shell of its former self, with most citizens living in extreme poverty. Riots, looting, and extreme famine pushed the city into desperation by the end of 2017.

In January 2018, the government of Oranjestad began a humanitarian mission to restore the city and its people. The city came under the full control of the Oranjestad military and restoration projects were started immediately. By the end of January, some 20,000 tons of food had been delivered to Havanan residents.

On May 9 2018, rule of the city was transferred back to the local Havanan government by Oranjestad. During the brief occupation, Oranjestad made significant strides in restoring the city:

  • Dredged, extended, and resealed the Havana canal
  • Rebuilt numerous roads and bridges
  • Restored over two dozen residential and commercial buildings; adding windows and flooring and prepping them for occupation
  • Fully restored the Havana Fortress
  • Added over 50,000 tons of landfill and stone for water runoff and retention
  • Brought unemployment down to historically low levels through reconstruction programs