Fidel Castro was born on a farm in Birán, Cuba, near Mayarí, on August 13, 1926. He received a Jesuit education while attending a boarding school in Havana by the name Colegio de Belen. When he finished high school, he attended the University of Havana. In 1950 he graduated from the university in 1950 with a degree in law in 1950.

Fidel was a member of the social democratic Ortodoxo party. This party strongly criticized the way Fulgencio Batista (held power in Cuba, first as president, later as dictator) way of running the government. Castro charged Batista with violating the constitution because Batista overthrew the government of Carlos Prio Socarras (man who was the current president of Cuba, who was overthrown by Batista) leading to the cancellation of elections. Castro's petition was refused. Because the court refused Castro's petition, on July 26, 1953 Castro led an attack on the Moncada army barracks. This attack...