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The Platt Amendment of 1901

On February 25, 1901, an amendment was introduced before the U.S. Con- gress to clarifu the role of the United States regarding Cuba, a newly sov- ereign state with the signing of the Peace Treaty of Paris, 1899. The Platt Amendment, namedfor Ohio Senator Orville H. Platt, provided aframevvork for the role of the United States in Cuba post-1899. Making demands and mandates, the provisions of this congressional amendment reforms the Teller Amendment of 1898, which prohibited the outright annexation of Cuba. The anendment was "introduced" in Havana before the Cuban Constitutional Convention and was eventually adopted through a sixteen to eleven vote, inc lu ding four ab s t ent ions.

The Platt Amendment stipulated thefollowing:

The President of the United States is hereby authorized to o'leave the govem- ment and control of the island of Cuba to its people" so soon as a goYernment shall have been established in said island under a constitution which, either as a part thereof or in an ordinance appended thereto, shall define the future relations of the United States with Cuba, substantially as follows:

I. That the government of Cuba shall never enter into any treaty or other compact with any f,oreign power or powers which will impair or tend to impair the independence of cuba, nor in any manner authorize or permit any foreign powff or powers to obtain by colonization or for military or naval purposes or otherwise, lodgement in or control over any portion of said island.

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