ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Teller Amendment

Okay, so you know how when you want to do something, your parents might say you can only do it if you promise to clean your room or do your homework first? That's kind of like what the Teller Amendment is.

A long time ago, the United States wanted to fight a war against Spain. Some people thought it was a good idea, but others were worried. They were worried that once the war was over, the United States might try to take over Spain's colonies and make them part of the United States.

So, to make sure that didn't happen, a man named Senator Teller came up with an idea. He suggested that the United States should go to war with Spain, but promise ahead of time that they would not try to take over any of Spain's colonies. This was called the Teller Amendment.

It's kind of like saying to your parents, "Okay, I promise to clean my room and do my homework, but you have to promise not to make me go to bed right after." The Teller Amendment was a promise that the United States would only fight the war against Spain, and not try to take over any new territories or colonies afterwards.

And just like with your parents, the United States kept its promise. They won the war against Spain, but they did not try to take over any of Spain's colonies. The Teller Amendment helped make sure that the United States was not seen as a greedy country that only wanted to take over other people's land.