Name: Class: The Spark That Brought Down Trujillo By CommonLit Staff 2017 Rafael Trujillo was a politician, soldier, and dictator of the Dominican Republic from February 1930 until his assassination in May 1961. This informational text describes his rise to power and the events that contributed to his downfall. As you read, take notes on the events that follow the death of the Mirabal sisters. [1] On November 25, 1960, Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa Mirabal were stopped in their car while visiting their husbands in jail and then beaten to death by Dominican Republic soldiers. Their husbands were in jail for the same reason the Mirabal sisters were killed: for opposing Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo. The fourth Mirabal Sister, Dedé, was not with her sisters that day and lived to tell their story. Rafael Trujillo s Rise to Power On September 2 and 3, 1930, the Dominican "Mirabal Sisters" by popularpattty is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0. Republic was struck by a hurricane that caused massive damage to the nation s capital. Bridges and port facilities were washed out, there were thousands of casualties and many left homeless. Cyclone 1 San Zenón started Rafael Leonidas Trujillo s era, his first move being renaming Santa Domingo, Ciudad Trujillo. This disaster led to the dictator declaring a state of emergency and martial law. 2 Tropical systems go through the Dominican Republic every 4-5 years; however, nothing had severely hit the capital since their independence. This long break left the capital and nation unprepared to deal with this disaster leaving them vulnerable. Because of the chaos, Trujillo could sweep in and begin rebuilding to his liking. Rafael Trujillo was born on October 24, 1891, near Santo Domingo. In 1918, he joined the Dominican National Police and was trained by US marines, and by 1925 he had risen through the ranks to become a commander-in-chief. 3 By 1929, when the National Police morphed into the National Army, he became a brigadier general 4 and was then appointed head of the National Army. In 1930, he became a presidential nominee and won the election with around 95% of the votes. Following the name change of the capital city and mounting of around 1200 monuments of himself in the capital, he made his own party (Partido Dominicano) the only acceptable political party. In doing so, all adults were forced to be members and all public employees forced to pay a donation. Trujillo used a secret police force to control the opposition 5 by enforcing spy networks, prisons, and torture centers. Trujillo built his wealth by ruling the economy with shear force, monopolization, 6 and government subsidies. 7 By 1950, the wealth of the country was all in Trujillo's hands. Trujillo at this point was at his peak of power, monopolizing the Dominican economy. 1. a storm or system of winds that rotates around a center 2. a system of complete control by a country s military over all activities 1
Dissent Grows The Mirabal sisters and their husbands Pedro Gonzalez, Manuel ( Manolo ) Tavarez, and Leandro Guzmán were the founders of the Fourteenth of June Movement. On June 14, 1959, exiled 8 Dominicans, members of the Dominican Liberation Movement, were to be assisted by members of the Cuban revolution in invading the country to overthrow Trujillo. The plan failed because Trujillo s spies discovered the plan, but it did inspire a growing opposition. Following the failed plot to overthrow Trujillo, dozens of the members were imprisoned including the sisters and their husbands. Eventually Trujillo freed the women and children, but kept the husbands incarcerated. It was when the sisters went to visit their husbands in jail that they were assassinated. Fortunately, the fourth sister Dedé, who decided to not get involved, was not killed. The story of their murder became famous internationally and they became widely known as The Butterflies (Las Mariposas). Trujillo s Downfall [5] Following the murders of the Mirabal sisters, national and international opposition grew to Trujillo s rule. Many Dominicans considered the murder of the sisters to be the final straw. This event illustrated the moral collapse of the Trujillo regime. And even though the regime had never valued human life, the murder of women moved the Dominican people. Finally, on May 30, 1961, Rafael Trujillo Molina was killed by six men on his way to his famous Casa de Caoba retreat. Aftermath Following Trujillo s assassination, his son Ramfis attempted to continue the dictatorship but failed, and the Trujillo family fled by the end of 1961. December 1962 marked the beginning of a democratic government. Juan Bosch, a man who was in exile during most of the Trujillo era, was elected president. The Bosch administration lost support of the US and Dominican military and was replaced in September of 1963. Donald Reid Cabral lasted until April 1965 until pro-bosch military officers staged a revolt 9 to return Bosch. US president Lyndon Johnson deployed 10 23,000 Marines to invade the Dominican Republic to help with the civil war. The Dominican Republic struggled after 1961 to mount a stable democracy. 3. someone in charge of a country s armed forces 4. a ranking in the military that is above colonel 5. a person or group of people opposing, criticizing, or protesting someone 6. Monopoly (noun): complete control of the entire supply of goods or services in an area 7. a grant or contribution of money 8. Exile (noun): the state of being forbidden from entering one s native country 9. Revolt (noun): an attempt to put an end to the authority of a person by rebelling 10. to move troops into position for military action 2
Legacy The overthrow of Rafael Trujillo was sparked by the women of the Dominican Republic. The Mirabal sisters began the movement against Trujillo. Their assassination was the beginning of the end for Trujillo. The country would not tolerate such brutality against women. Female influence would result in international exposure of a corrupt dictator, pressure a scrambling Trujillo, and eventually lead to his assassination. The Mirabal sisters and their assassinations were a powerful force in ending the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. The Spark That Brought Down Trujillo is a derivative of The Trujillo Dictated Domincan Republic of 1930-1961 by Russell Owen. 3
Text-Dependent Questions Directions: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences. 1. PART A: Which statement identifies the central idea of the text? A. Trujillo targeted the Mirabal sisters because he believed their deaths would not have an impact on the Dominican Republic. B. The Mirabal sisters knowingly sacrificed themselves to bring about the end of Trujillo s regime. C. Trujillo s regime violently murdered the Mirabel sisters, which caused the world to turn against him. D. Trujillo s regime went unchallenged until the Mirabal sisters and their husbands revolted against him. 2. PART B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A? A. Their husbands were in jail for the same reason the Mirabal sisters were killed: for opposing Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo. (Paragraph 1) B. "Trujillo used a secret police force to control the opposition by enforcing spy networks, prisons, and torture centers. (Paragraph 3) C. The Mirabal sisters and their husbands Pedro Gonzalez, Manuel ( Manolo ) Tavarez, and Leandro Guzmán were the founders of the Fourteenth of June Movement. (Paragraph 4) D. Many Dominicans considered the murder of the sisters to be the final straw. This event illustrated the moral collapse of the Trujillo regime. (Paragraph 5) 3. How does paragraph 3 contribute to the development of ideas in the text? A. It explains how Trujillo took complete control of the Dominican Republic. B. It emphasizes why people were willing to support Trujillo s regime. C. It shows how Trujillo was able to make the Dominican Republic rich. D. It hints at why Trujillo was unable to maintain his dictatorship. 4. What is the author s main purpose in the text? A. to reveal how Trujillo went from a good leader to a cruel dictator B. to describe the legacy of the Mirabal sisters in the Dominican Republic C. to emphasize the bravery shown by the one living Mirabal sister D. to outline the negative effects of dictatorships 4
5. What connection does the author draw between the fall of Trujillo s regime and public opinion of him? 5
Discussion Questions Directions: Brainstorm your answers to the following questions in the space provided. Be prepared to share your original ideas in a class discussion. 1. In the context of the text, what can we learn from the Mirabal sisters assassination? How are the Mirabal sisters an example of the large impact that a few people can have? What are other examples of men or women in history who have sacrificed their lives for change? 2. The Mirabal sisters deaths led to the collapse of Trujillo s regime. What other changes do you think their deaths brought to the Dominican Republic? How have other dictatorships throughout history been dismantled? 3. How was Trujillo corrupted by the power he had over the Dominican Republic? How did his corruption negatively impact the people of the Dominican Republic? What are other examples of leaders who abuse their power? 6