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Difficulty: EasyImperialism and the Spanish-American War

"Resolved... That the United States hereby disclaims any disposition or intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction, or control over said Island except for the pacification thereof, and asserts its determination, when that is accomplished, to leave the government and control of the Island to its people."

— Teller Amendment, April 20, 1898

Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of the Teller Amendment?

  1. A
    To declare war on Spain in retaliation for the sinking of the Lusitania.
  2. B
    To establish a military alliance with Latin American nations to actively colonize the Western Hemisphere.
  3. To reassure the public and foreign nations that the United States did not intend to permanently annex Cuba after the war with Spain.Answer
  4. D
    To declare absolute isolationism and cease all diplomatic and economic relations with foreign powers.

Answer

To reassure the public and foreign nations that the United States did not intend to permanently annex Cuba after the war with Spain.
The correct answer is correct because the Teller Amendment was passed alongside the declaration of war against Spain to assure both the American public and global powers that the United States' intervention was intended to help Cuba gain independence, rather than to permanently annex it as a colonial territory.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the historical context of the Teller Amendment (1898) and its relationship to the Spanish-American War.
The Teller Amendment was passed by Congress alongside the declaration of war against Spain to define the United States' goals regarding Cuba.
Understanding the context helps identify the purpose of the declaration.
2
Examine the specific language of the excerpt, noting the phrase 'disclaims any disposition or intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction, or control'.
The text explicitly states that the United States will not annex or control Cuba and will leave government control to its people after pacification.
This directly matches the goal of reassuring critics of imperialism that the war was not for territorial conquest of Cuba.
3
Evaluate the options to find the one that matches this purpose while avoiding chronological and conceptual errors.
The option stating that the U.S. did not intend to permanently annex Cuba is correct. Other options incorrectly associate the war with the Lusitania, represent active colonization alliances, or suggest absolute isolationism.
This ensures the final selection is historically accurate and aligns with the stimulus.

Key Concept

The debates over American imperialism and the motivations behind intervention in the Spanish-American War.
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Topics

Imperialism and the Spanish-American War

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