The Ten Years' War (also known as the Big War) began on October 10, 1868. On this date, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes and his following of patriots from the sugar mill La Demajagua, proclaimed Cuba's independence from Spain. The first clash between the rebels under Céspedes’ command and the Spanish army took place in the town of Yara. The rebellion was crushed almost instantly. Although the uprising was almost a failure, the tenth of October is still a respected date in the Cuban community.

Neither side of the war was able to get a single concrete victory let alone crush the opposing side and win the war. The rebels fought using guerilla warfare and their efforts had much more impact on the eastern side of the island than on the western. Spain's efforts to fight were hindered by a civil war that broke out on the main land. When the civil war in Spain ended, more Spanish troops were sent to Cuba.

General Arsenio Campos arrived in Cuba and was able to negotiate the rebels into the Pact of Zanjon . The Pact of Zanjon promised various reforms throughout the island. The reforms would improve the financial situations of the island of Cuba.

After the war ended, there was 17 years of tension between the people of Cuba and the Spanish government. These separatists would go on to follow the lead of José Martí. The most passionate of the rebels chose exile over Spanish rule. There was also a severe depression throughout the island. The war had devastated the coffee industry and American tariffs badly damaged exports.

One major conflict throughout the war was the abolition of the slaves in Cuba. Both the rebels and the people loyal to Spain wanted to abolish slavery. In 1880, a law was passed by the Spanish government that freed all of the slaves. However, the slaves were required by law to work for their masters for a number of years but the masters had to pay the slaves for their work. The wages were so low the slaves could barely afford to live off of them. The Spanish government lifted the law before it was to expire because neither the land owners or the freed men appreciated it.