Except it was fanatical Filipino rebels, not Cubans or Spaniards. After we defeated the Spanish, we inherited some of their colonies, including Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Phillipines. They fit right in with America's new bicoastal colonial ambitions and imperialist ways (Panama Canal, Great White Fleet, Big Stick, etc). They became convenient coaling stations for our rapidly expanding fleet. Spain was finished as a naval power, but Japan was rising in the Far East and the Brits had bases in the Caribbean basin and could always cause trouble if they chose to.

At any rate, the Filipino Moro rebels were supposedly hard to stop with the GI issue revolver of the time (the usual excuses: they were drug-crazed fanatics, etc), So the 1911 was born. It served us well for almost a century, and would probably still be in use if it weren't felt we needed to standardize with our 9mm equipped Nato allies.

It's big, bulky, and requires a lot of training to be properly used. It also has a rather small, by modern standards, capacity for ammo (max 8 rounds including 1 in the chamber. But it is still hard to beat for its combination of simplicity, reliability, durability, ease of maintenance, safety features, and sheer stopping power. For sportsmen, it has the advantage that is is easily customizable for competition, and gunsmiths are familiar with it and parts are easily available.

Incidentally, I agree with you about the .44 Magnum. It is too powerful to be manageable in a pistol, and grotesquely overpowered for personal defense. However, it does make sense in one application. Some rifles are chambered for the .44 Magnum, and it is interchangeable with a lighter load, the .44 Special. Neither is a true hunting cartridge, but it makes sense for the bush, where you can carry a compact Magnum carbine capable in a pinch of handling bigger game, and a revolver loaded with Specials for a backup sidearm and personal protection. In an emergency, the ammunition for either can be substituted in the other, always a nice feature.

When I entertained fantasies of going cruising, I had considered arming my yacht this way, but soon realized that other countries don't take kindly to armed civilians sailing around in their territorial waters. It's more likely for your guns to get you arrested than they are to repel boarders.