Definition of the 1898 Treaty of Paris

In the last decade of the nineteenth century, Spain lost its last colonies in America and its dominance over the Philippines. In November 1898 the diplomatic delegations of the United States and Spain met in the capital of France to agree on the terms of a treaty of peace to end the war between the two nations.

The conditions imposed by the United States were finally accepted by the government of Spain.

The United States delegation proposed the following conditions:

1) the cession of Cuba, Puerto Rico, the island of Guam (current Mariana Islands) and the archipelago Philippine,

2) I reject the transfer of the debt financial related to these territories,

3) the non-acceptance of possible financial claims derived from the debt and

4) the proposal of a single compensation economic to Spain worth 20 million dollars.

The government The Spanish considered that the conditions were unfair but ended up accepting them in full, since the North American government had threatened to resume the war if their conditions were not accepted.

Consequences of the Treaty of Paris

From that moment on, the United States began a new journey as a great world power. Since then she imposed her law in Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines and the three nations became "delegations" of the new empire.

In Spain the consequences were very different. On the economic level, the Commerce of raw materials with the former colonies was noticeably weakened.

In Spanish society the military defeat was experienced as a national disaster. The intellectuals expressed their concerns and spontaneously the so-called Generation of '98 was created.

"More was lost in Cuba" and "the last of the Philippines"

These two expressions come precisely from the Disaster of 98 and both are still used in the language colloquial.

If someone complains about everything and is unhappy with his fate, it is likely that someone will comfort him by reminding him that there is no problem and that it is preferable not to regret excessively. It is in this context that the expression "more was lost in Cuba"

When a person or a group maintains a posture of resistance and does not want to accept defeat or the uselessness of his actions, he is acting like the last of the Philippines. The war in the archipelago ended in November 1898 and the Treaty of Paris was signed in December, but a small group of soldiers Spaniards kept fighting for more than half a year because he believed that the news of the end of the war was false (when it was finally surrendered the Philippine government gave up on making them prisoners and they were able to return to Spain where they were received as authentic heroes).

Photo: Fotolia - Ufotopixl10

Topics in the 1898 Treaty of Paris