Teller Amendment

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The Teller Amendment was an amendment to a joint resolution of the United States Congress, enacted on April 19, 1898, which led to the Spanish-American War, which stated that when the United States defeated the Spanish Occupants in Cuba, it would give the Cubans their freedom and independent control of their affairs.

In April 1898, Senator Henry M. Teller of Colorado proposed an amendment to the U.S. declaration of war against Spain that resolved that the United States would not establish permanent control over Cuba following the cessation of hostilies with Spain. It stated that the United States "hereby disclaims any disposition of intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction, or control over said island except for pacification thereof, and asserts its determination, when that is accomplished, to leave the government and control of the island to its people."

The Senate passed the amendment, 42 to 35, on April 19, 1898, and the House concurred the same day, 311 to 6. President McKinley signed the joint resolution on April 20, 1898, and the ultimatum was forwarded to Spain.

On April 25, 1898, the United States declared war on Spain following the sinking of the Battleship Maine in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris (1898) on December 10, 1898. As a result, Spain lost its control over the remains of its overseas empire -- Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippine islands, Guam and other islands.

After Spanish troops left the island in December 1898, the United States occupied Cuba until 1902, as promised in the Teller Amendment; however, under the Platt Amendment, crafted in 1901 by U.S. Secretary of War Elihu Root to replace the Teller Amendment, important decisions of the government of Cuba remained subjected to override by the United States. This suzerainty bred resentment toward the U.S., which was effectively channeled fifty years later by Fidel Castro.