What did the Platt Amendment do?

The Platt Amendment, enacted in 1901, played a significant role in shaping the relationship between the United States and Cuba following the Spanish-American War. By making Cuba a protectorate of the U.S., the Platt Amendment placed specific restrictions on Cuba's sovereignty. It effectively ensured that Cuba could not enter into treaties with foreign powers that could compromise its independence and mandated that the Cuban government would not engage in activities that could lead to the kind of debt or instability that would require intervention from the U.S.

In addition, the amendment provided for the U.S. to maintain naval bases in Cuba, most notably Guantanamo Bay, which further illustrated the extent of U.S. control over Cuban affairs. Thus, by limiting Cuba's ability to govern itself freely and establishing a conditional relationship that favored American interests, the Platt Amendment reflects the imperialistic tendencies of the United States during this period.