The Treaty of Paris was the end of the Spanish-American War and was signed on December 10, 1898. In it, Spain renounced all claims to Cuba formerly under Spanish rule. The origin of the Cuba Libre dates back to the Ten Years War, where, as the story goes, American soldiers were in a Cuban bar. A Captain in the US Army stationed in Havana ordered a rum and Coca-Cola, and toasted Cuban friends with the words por Cuba libre meaning Free Cuba. The toast helped name the drink and celebrates Cuban independence to this day.