AP US History
The Teller Amendment was a legislative measure passed by the U.S. Congress in 1898, stating that the United States would not annex Cuba after its liberation from Spain. This amendment reflected America's intention to support Cuban independence while also signaling its growing imperial ambitions during the age of imperialism.
The Teller Amendment was adopted by the United States Congress in April 1898, during the onset of the Spanish-American War. Named after its sponsor, Senator Henry M. Teller, the amendment was attached to a joint resolution of the U.S. Congress in response to President William McKinley's war message. It was formulated against the backdrop of U.S. intervention in Cuba's struggle for independence from Spanish colonial rule.
The Teller Amendment served as a declaration that the United States would not establish permanent control over Cuba following the Spanish-American War. It reassured those concerned about imperialist motives by promising Cuban self-governance after peace was restored. Despite this assurance, later actions such as the Platt Amendment somewhat contradicted these intentions by allowing significant U.S. influence in Cuban affairs, reflecting Americaโs growing presence on the international stage and its complex relationship with imperialism.