United States Military Government in Cuba facts for kids

Quick facts for kids United States Military Government in Cuba Gobierno militar estadounidense en Cuba
1898–1902
Flag Great Seal
Motto: E Pluribus Unum "Out of Many, One"
Anthem: Salve, Columbia "Hail, Columbia"
Status	Administered Territory of the United States
Capital	Havana
Common languages	Spanish, English
Government	Military Government
Military-Governor
• 1898–1899	Adolfo Castellanos
• 1899	John R. Brooke
• 1899–1902	Leonard Wood
Historical era	Modern Era
• Teller Amendment	20 April 1898
• Treaty of Paris	10 December 1898
• Platt Amendment	2 March 1901
• Independence	20 May 1902
Preceded by Succeeded by Captaincy General of Cuba Republic of Cuba Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
Today part of	Cuba United States

The United States Military Government in Cuba was a temporary government set up by the United States in Cuba. This happened after the Spanish–American War ended in 1898. During this time, Spain gave control of Cuba to the United States.

People also called this period the First Occupation of Cuba. This helps tell it apart from a second time the U.S. occupied Cuba from 1906 to 1909. Soldiers from the United States Army who served in Cuba during this first occupation later received the Army of Cuban Occupation Medal.

Key Events: US Rule in Cuba

This section looks at the important dates during the time the U.S. military governed Cuba.

1898: War and Treaty

• 15 February: The USS Maine ship exploded in Havana harbor. This event helped start the war.
• 20 April: U.S. President McKinley signed a resolution declaring war on Spain. This resolution included the Teller Amendment. This amendment said the U.S. would not take over Cuba permanently. It only wanted to bring peace.
• 10 December: Spain and the United States signed the Treaty of Paris. This treaty officially ended the war.

1899: Military Government Begins

• 1 January: The United States military government officially started in Cuba.
• 11 April: The Spanish–American War officially came to an end.

1901: New Constitution for Cuba

• 21 February: Cuba adopted its own new constitution, called the Constitution of the Republic of Cuba.
• 31 December: Estrada Palma was elected as the first president of the new Republic of Cuba.

1902: Cuba Becomes Independent

• 20 May: The new 1901 constitution became active. This day marked the birth of the independent Republic of Cuba.

The Platt Amendment: US Influence in Cuba

The Platt Amendment was a set of rules that decided when the United States would stop its military control of Cuba. This amendment was added to a U.S. army spending bill. Its goal was to give control of Cuba back to the Cuban people.

What the Platt Amendment Did

The amendment had eight main conditions that Cuba had to agree to. Only then would Cuba become fully independent.

• One key rule stopped Cuba from signing any treaties that would let other countries use the island for military bases.
• The United States also kept the right to step in if Cuba's independence was threatened. This was to protect lives and property, but the amendment did not clearly say how much the U.S. could interfere.
• Most importantly, the amendment made Cuba sign a treaty that made these rules official law.

Why the US Wanted the Platt Amendment

The United States wanted the Platt Amendment because it had many business interests in Cuba. Before the war, Spain had struggled to protect these U.S. interests and keep order. The amendment was a way for the U.S. to keep some influence in Cuba even after its military left.

The earlier Teller Amendment had promised Cuba its independence after Spanish rule ended. The Platt Amendment allowed the U.S. to maintain influence without directly ruling the country. It was successfully added to Cuba's constitution.

See also

In Spanish: Primer gobierno militar estadounidense en Cuba para niños