Treaty of Paris (1898)

This treaty was like a big agreement that moved islands from one country to another. Spain used to be in charge of places like Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. But after a war, they signed a paper saying, 'Okay, you can have these islands now!' The United States got these islands, which are like jewels scattered in the ocean.

Some are in the warm Caribbean Sea, and others are far away in the Pacific Ocean.

Imagine you and your friend have a disagreement, and you write down the rules to stop fighting. That's kind of what happened! Spain and the United States signed a special paper called the Treaty of Paris.

This paper officially said the war was over. It was signed in a city called Paris, which is famous for its tall Eiffel Tower, but this treaty was signed in 1898. That's a super long time ago, even before your grandparents were born!

So, Spain gave up control of Cuba and Puerto Rico, which are like big tropical playgrounds. They also gave up Guam, a smaller island, and the Philippines, which is a whole bunch of islands together! The United States paid Spain $20 million for the Philippines. That's a LOT of money, like enough to buy millions and millions of ice cream cones!

This treaty was a really big deal. For Spain, it meant they weren't in charge of as many places around the world anymore. For the United States, it was like they suddenly became a bigger player on the world stage, like a star athlete joining a famous team. It marked the end of one chapter and the start of a brand new one for both countries.