HIST 128 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Platt Amendment, American Exceptionalism
Document Summary
A key expansionist and assistant secretary of the navy under mckinley: cuba. Vital territory during the spanish american war: teller amendment. Pledged by congress before the spanish american war, stating that the u. s. would never annex or colonize the island of cuba. Despite this, after the war, the mckinley administration didn"t feel the cuban rebels would protect american interests and asserted control anyways. After the war congress passed this legislation stating that the u. s. retains the right to intervene in cuba to preserve cuban independence in return for substantial independence and american rights to guantanamo as a naval base. The naval base acquired by the u. s. under mckinley after the spanish american war through the platt amendment: guantanamo bay, philippines, albert j. beveridge, march of the flag . The islands were considered a vital interest to u. s. expansionists because of its proximity to china and its ability to promote american goods to asia.
