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APUSH: Ostend Manifesto Definition, Explained + Facts

The Ostend Manifesto refers to a document drafted in 1854 by three American diplomats advocating the United States’ acquisition of Cuba from Spain. It suggested that the U.S. should seize Cuba by force if Spain refused to sell it. This diplomatic dispatch became a source of considerable controversy upon its public release.

Its importance lies in exposing the expansionist desires of pro-slavery factions within the United States during the mid-19th century. The document revealed the willingness of some American leaders to pursue aggressive foreign policy in order to extend slavery’s reach. Its publication intensified sectional tensions between the North and South, ultimately contributing to the growing divide that led to the Civil War.

7+ Ostend Manifesto Definition: US History Explained

The Ostend Manifesto, a key event in United States history, was a document drafted in 1854 by three American diplomats: James Buchanan, John Y. Mason, and Pierre Soul. They were meeting in Ostend, Belgium, and Aix-la-Chapelle, Prussia (now Germany), and the document outlined a plan for the United States to acquire Cuba from Spain, even if it meant resorting to force. In essence, it articulated a belief that the U.S. had a right to seize Cuba if Spain refused to sell it, rationalizing the act by claiming Spanish rule threatened U.S. interests.

The significance of this controversial declaration lies in its reflection of the expansionist fervor prevalent in the pre-Civil War United States. It exposed the tensions surrounding slavery and its potential extension into new territories. Proponents of slavery sought Cuba as a potential new slave state, while opponents feared the expansion of slavery’s influence. The manifesto ignited a fierce debate, further polarizing the nation and contributing to the escalating tensions that ultimately led to the Civil War. Its attempted justification of aggressive foreign policy also set a precedent with profound consequences for future U.S. relations with Latin America.