Expansion in Latin America

Chapter 9, Section 3

Cuba and Puerto Rico• Both hoped that the peace treating ending the

Spanish-American War would mean independence for them

• Teller Amendment actually said that Cuba would be free…

Disappointment• To restore order + protect US

investments = McKinley set up military governments to rule the islands

• General Leonard Wood appointed Governor of Cuba

• Constructed schools and a sanitation system (especially needed to reduce the mosquito population)

Yellow Fever• Carlos Finlay—a Cuban doctor—had a theory that

mosquitoes spread Yellow Fever (He was right)

• The sanitation system basically eliminated this disease

Governor Leonard Wood

• Presided over the writing of a new constitution that limited Cuba’s independence

• US Congress agreed to remove American troops only if Cuba made the Platt Amendment part of its constitution:

Platt Amendment

1. Limited Cuba’s freedom to make treaties with other countries

2. Authorized the US to intervene in Cuban affairs

3. Required Cuba to sell/lease land to the US for naval & fueling stations (which led to the US Navy base at Guantanamo Bay)

Platt Amendment

• In effect: Cuba was an American protectorate

• US promised to help Cuba from other nations, but reserved the right to intervene in its affairs

• Cuba reluctantly accepted the Platt Amendment & American troops left Cuba…

Guantanamo Bay

• US Navy remained there, which was leased by the US government

Cuba & the US

• Over the next 30 years, the US remained involved in Cuban affairs

• US pressured Cuba to accept policies that favored US investors

• Sent in American troops when they decided the Cuban gov’t couldn’t keep order

• 1934—US finally renounced its right to intervene. However, American influence over Cuba remained very strong

Puerto Rico & the US• Very different from Cuba

• US ruled the island as a territory

Question: Were the people of Puerto Rico going to be entitled to the same rights as US citizens?

NO

• US Supreme Court ruled (1901)

• The new territories were not fully part of the US

…so Congress could pick and choose what rights territories would receive

Foraker Act

• Puerto Rico’s governor and upper house of the legislature were to be appointed by the US

• The lower house could be elected by Puerto Ricans

Jones Act of 1917• Made Puerto Ricans American citizens

• Gave them the right to elect members of both houses of their legislature

• 1952: Puerto Rico became a self-governing commonwealth of the US that has strong ties of citizenship and trade today

Guantanamo Bay Article

READ THE ARTICLE AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS IN COMPLETE SENTENCES!!