Conditions that led to expansion
Consequences
The Treaty of Paris, passed in 1898, effectively ended the Spanish-American War that had lasted just less than 4 months in the same year. Effective in 1899, the Treaty stated that Spain would cede 20 million dollars and the rights and control of the following territories: Cuba, Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico.
Cuba got independence right away but the US invested heavily in Cuban plantations and infrastructure. The US controlled Cuba Politically and economically for many years.
The US occupied the Philippines. The people of the Philippines expected independence and when did not get it they fought back. The US Philippine war broke out for 3 years. From the the US controlled the Philippines as a commonwealth until July 4th, 1946 when the Philippines got independence. Wealthy American investors and wealthy Philippinos profited from the export of Philippines’ chief products--sugar, tobacco, cordage, and coconut oil--They took a considerable amount of farmland out of food production. The Philippine economy becomes dependent on the US economy.
Guam and Puerto Rico become unincorporated territory of the United States. As such, the islands of Puerto Rico and Guam are neither a sovereign nations nor a U.S. states. The people born there are US citizens and can vote if they live within the US states. If they live in Puerto Rico and Guam they can't vote for Congress or president. The territories have their own governors but no representation in congress. Economically the US found itself in control of a poor island in Puerto Rico whose inhabitants were mostly involved in small-scale coffee and sugarcane production. Extensive U.S. markets were opened up for sugar as North American companies took over and expanded many of the island’s sugarcane operations. Regular people lost their small plots of land and became impoverished.
Cuba got independence right away but the US invested heavily in Cuban plantations and infrastructure. The US controlled Cuba Politically and economically for many years.
The US occupied the Philippines. The people of the Philippines expected independence and when did not get it they fought back. The US Philippine war broke out for 3 years. From the the US controlled the Philippines as a commonwealth until July 4th, 1946 when the Philippines got independence. Wealthy American investors and wealthy Philippinos profited from the export of Philippines’ chief products--sugar, tobacco, cordage, and coconut oil--They took a considerable amount of farmland out of food production. The Philippine economy becomes dependent on the US economy.
Guam and Puerto Rico become unincorporated territory of the United States. As such, the islands of Puerto Rico and Guam are neither a sovereign nations nor a U.S. states. The people born there are US citizens and can vote if they live within the US states. If they live in Puerto Rico and Guam they can't vote for Congress or president. The territories have their own governors but no representation in congress. Economically the US found itself in control of a poor island in Puerto Rico whose inhabitants were mostly involved in small-scale coffee and sugarcane production. Extensive U.S. markets were opened up for sugar as North American companies took over and expanded many of the island’s sugarcane operations. Regular people lost their small plots of land and became impoverished.