The amendment, placed into an army appropriations bill was designed to give back control of Cuba to the Cuban people.

The main conditions of the amendment prohibited Cuba from signing any treaty allowing foreign powers to use the island for military purposes.

The United States reasoning behind the amendment was based on the significant commercial interests held on the island.

Due to the previously enacted Teller Amendment, the United States was forced to grant Cuba its independence after Spanish rule ended.

Since the Platt Amendment was successfully incorporated into the constitution in Cuba, influence was maintained without direct U.S. involvement in the country.