Timeline
1898 Dec: General Wood takes over as US governor of Cuba.
1899 May: Rebel Liberation Army disbanded by US administration.
1900 Jun: Cuba’s first municipal elections under US franchise.
1900 Sept: Elections for Cuban Constitutional Convention (CCC).
1900 Nov: CCC meets to draw up Cuba’s constitution.
1901 Jan: Platt Amendment presented to CCC.
1901 Dec: Estrada wins Cuba’s first presidential elections.
1902 May: Cuba becomes officially independent; US troops leave.
1903 Dec: Reciprocity Treaty between Cuba and the US.
1905 Dec: Disputed presidential elections.
1906 Aug: Liberal armed uprising (Guerrita de Agosto).
1906 Sept: Second US occupation begins.
1909 Mar: US troops leave.
1912 May: PIC armed revolt begins.
1916 Nov: Mario García Menocal’s re-election as president disputed.
1917 Feb: Liberal armed revolt (La Chambelona); US troops sent.
1917 Oct: Large strike by sugar workers.
1924 Nov: Presidential elections won by Machado.
Overview
US Rule After Spain:
Although Spain no longer ruled Cuba after 1898, the island was not fully independent. For the next four years, Cuba was under US military rule, with US General Wood as its governor.Creation of a Political System:
The US disbanded the rebel army and began creating a political system for Cuba modeled on the US system.Platt Amendment and Nominal Independence:
Cuba became nominally independent in 1902 when US forces withdrew. However, the Platt Amendment of 1901—incorporated into Cuba’s ‘independence’ constitution—granted the US the right to intervene militarily to ensure stability, angering many Cuban nationalists.Corruption and Electoral Fraud:
For the next twenty years, Cuban politics was dominated by corruption and electoral fraud, often leading to armed uprisings by parties feeling cheated out of victory.US Economic Ties and Troop Interventions:
During this time, US investments in Cuba increased significantly, and the Cuban economy became closely tied to the US. To protect these economic assets, the US invoked the Platt Amendment to send troops back into Cuba on three occasions between 1902 and 1925, undermining Cuban independence in the eyes of many Cubans.
Political Theme
US Military Government 1898–1902
US Administration’s Focus:
The US administration primarily engaged with Cuba’s white elite, who mostly favored annexation by the US. The US believed that a prolonged occupation would be welcomed and ensure stability.Teller Amendment:
Despite the Teller Amendment, US President McKinley assured Congress in December 1898 that US forces would remain in Cuba until a stable government was established.
Establish Control
Governance:
==General John Brooke== became the first US governor of Cuba in 1898, but he was replaced in December of the same year by General ==Leonard Wood==. Both Brooke and Wood believed in extended US control over Cuba.Disbanding Rebel Forces:
One of the first US actions was to disband the Cuban rebel force, which had around 33,000 members by 1898.- In May 1899, the Liberation Army was disbanded, with rebels receiving $75 for surrendering their weapons.
- This action eliminated the primary opposition to US influence.
The Rural Guard:
The US established the Rural Guard, a paramilitary force to address banditry after the war.Segregation and Tensions:
The officer corps was predominantly white, and racial segregation was introduced, which angered former rebels and created discontent among the population.
Political Settlement
Limited democracy and vote
==Elihu Root== (U.S. official) created a limited voting system in Cuba to prevent outcomes that conflicted with U.S. interests.
Voting rights were restricted to:
Men over 21 who could read and write, or
Owned property worth at least $250.
Exception: reluctantly included Cuban males who had fought in the rebel army.
About 100,000 men could vote.
Excluded groups: the poor, most Black Cubans, and all women.
Municipal elections (June 1900) had three parties:
Republican Party – favored independence
Cuban Nationalist Party – favored independence
Democratic Union Party – conservative, favored U.S. annexation.
In the end, parties that favored independence won the vote.
The Cuban Constitution
Jan 1901, ==The Cuban Institution== was drew up, drafted by Root to secure US control on Cuba.
==Platt Amendment==
came to effect in 1902, incorporated in the constitution
I — No foreign control or compromisingtreaties.
- Constrains Cuban treaty-making and blocks any foreign
foothold, pushing Havana into a U.S.-centric orbit; e.g.,
MFN treaties (Italy, 1903) were acceptable, but no
alliances or foreign bases were allowed.
III — U.S. right to intervene.
- Enabled U.S. intervention in domestic crises; e.g., the
1906–1909 Provisional Government occupied Cuba to
“maintain a government adequate” after the 1906
uprising, reshaping politics and administration.
VII — U.S. naval/coaling stations in Cuba.
- Established permanent U.S. naval presence on Cuban
soil; e.g., the 1903 lease of Guantánamo Bay granted
U.S. “complete jurisdiction and control,” influencing
security policy.
Effect: lasted for sixty years until Fidel Castro came to power
Political Atmosphere
1902 elected ==Tomas Estrada Palma==, represent Moderate Party, favored US annexation.