In 1898, the Teller Resolution proposed that the United States would not take over Cuba militarily. Instead, America would leave control of Cuba to Cubans themselves once independence from Spain was achieved.
Cuba had been a colony of Spain for hundreds of years. In the 1890s, a Cuban nationalist and poet, Jose Marti, led a revolution against Spanish rule. The United States government chose to support the Cuban rebels in this uprising. American involvement in this event led to the Spanish American War in 1898. In order to fight the Spanish, the U.S. needed to militarily occupy Cuba. The intent of the Teller Resolution was to reassure Cubans that the American soldiers would not take over, but ensure Cuban independence and sovereignty.
