TREATY OF PARIS

Treaty of Paris

• treaty signed on December 10, 1898 by the representatives of Spain and the United States.

• officially ended the Spanish-American War, but for the Filipinos;

• it marked the end of more than three centuries under Spanish rule and the start of American colonization in the Philippines.

• 17 articles

• redefined global colonial power

William R. Day

US Delegation

Eugenio Montero Rios

Spanish Delegation

1896

•  Philippine Revolution began

• led by revolutionary groups like the Katipunan, fought fiercely for freedom from Spanish rule

1898

• Spanish-American War

• United States entered the war, supposedly to help Cuba gain its independence from Spain.

• But the conflict soon spread to Spain’s other colonies — including the Philippines

• In May 1898, Commodore George Dewey and his fleet defeated the Spanish navy in the Battle of Manila Bay, destroying Spain’s power in the region.

• Soon after, Emilio Aguinaldo returned from exile to lead Filipino revolutionaries in reclaiming towns from Spanish control.

June 12, 1898

• Aguinaldo proclaimed Philippine independence in Kawit, Cavite

  • never recognized by either Spain or the United States.

  • Instead, the two foreign powers met later that year in Paris to negotiate peace — and to decide the fate of Spain’s colonies, including the Philippines.

  • Not a single Filipino representative was invited.

Article 1

• Spain gave up all claims to Cuba.

• Although Cuba was declared independent, the Platt Amendment of 1901 later allowed the United States to control much of its affairs.

Article 2

transferred Puerto Rico and Guam to the United States — both becoming important American territories.

Article 3

Spain ceded the Philippine archipelago to the United States and the U.S. agreed to pay Spain $20 million as compensation.

Article XVII

stated that the treaty would only take effect once both governments approved it — which the U.S. Senate did on February 6, 1899, by just one vote more than the required majority.

1899

• first philippine republic

• established in Malolos

• refused to recognize American rule

1899-1902

Philippine-American war

July 4, 1946

US finally recognized ph independence