What's the 1898 Treaty of Paris? #AskKirby

Summary

The Treaty of Paris in 1898, negotiated between Spain and the United States, officially ended the Spanish-American War. It determined the fate of territories like the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico, which were sold by Spain to the U.S. for $20 million. However, the treaty marginalized these territories' inhabitants, who had no representation in the negotiations. The Philippines, having already declared independence, found themselves pawns in Western imperialism, with the U.S. replacing Spain as the colonial power, despite having limited control over the islands.

Takeaways

• 📜 The Treaty of Paris in 1898, also known as the 'Tratado de Paris' in Spanish, was an agreement between Spain and the United States that officially ended the Spanish-American War.
• 🗓️ Signed on December 10th, 1898, the treaty was signed in the city of Paris and had a significant impact on the future of several territories.
• 🌏 It decided the fate of the Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and other islands in the Pacific Ocean, which were once part of the Spanish Empire.
• 🙅‍♂️ There was no representation from the affected territories during the negotiations, including Cuba and the Philippines, despite their declarations of independence from Spain.
• 🇵🇭 The first Philippine Republic attempted to send a delegation to the treaty negotiations but was denied participation, highlighting the exclusion of local voices.
• 👑 Spain was initially reluctant to relinquish its claims over the islands, but under pressure from the United States, it was forced to sell sovereignty.
• 💰 The islands and their people were sold to the United States for twenty million dollars, which is approximately six hundred and ten million dollars in today's money.
• 🏝️ At the time of the treaty, neither Spain nor the United States had effective control over the Philippines, which had already been lost to the Filipino Revolution.
• 🏙️ The United States only had control over a small district of Manila, not the entire capital city, and had limited presence in the Sulu archipelago and Mindanao.
• 🚫 The sale of the islands was controversial as Spain and the United States had no rights to sell or buy the sovereignty of the Philippines and its people.
• 🕊️ The Treaty of Paris, despite being called a 'Treaty of Peace,' did not bring peace or justice but rather marginalized the people of the affected territories, treating them as pawns in Western imperialism.

Q & A

What significant event took place on Tuesday of Paris in 1898?

The Treaty of Paris was signed on December 10th, 1898, officially ending the Spanish-American War and determining the futures of territories such as the Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Cuba.

What was the Treaty of Paris also known as in Spanish?

The Treaty of Paris was also known in Spanish as the 'Tratado de Paris'.

Which countries were represented at the Treaty of Paris negotiations?

The negotiations were primarily between Spain and the United States, with no representation from the affected territories such as the Philippines, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

What was the first Philippine Republic's attempt to participate in the Treaty of Paris?

The first Philippine Republic tried to send a Filipino delegation to participate or at least observe the negotiations, but their lawyer and diplomat, Felipe Agoncillo, was denied participation.

What was Spain's initial stance regarding the cession of its remaining colonies?

Spain, under Queen Maria Cristina, was initially reluctant to relinquish or renounce any of its claims over the islands of Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Marianas.

What was the final agreement regarding the sovereignty of the Philippine archipelago?

Spain was forced to sell the sovereignty of the islands to the United States for twenty million dollars, which is approximately six hundred and ten million dollars in today's money.

What was the situation of the Philippines at the time of the Treaty of Paris signing?

By the time of the Treaty of Paris signing, Spain had already lost control of the Philippines to the Filipino Revolution, and the United States only had effective control over the city of Manila.

What was the impact of the Treaty of Paris on the people of the affected territories?

The Treaty of Paris marginalized the people of the Philippines, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Marianas, treating them as pawns in the games of Western capitalism and imperialism.

How did the signing of the Treaty of Paris affect the perception of the United States among Filipino revolutionaries?

The signing and ratification of the Treaty of Paris confirmed the fears of many Filipino revolutionaries that the Americans were not there to help liberate the islands but to deprive the Filipino people of their hard-fought independence.

What book is mentioned in the script for further reading on the Philippine-American War?

The book mentioned for further reading on the Philippine-American War is 'Black Lights and Brown Freedom: Untold History of the Philippine-American War'.