1870 Dominican Republic annexation referendum

Referendum in the Dominican Republic Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg February 19, 1870 15,695 11 For Against 15,706 52,353 A referendum on annexation by the United States was held in the Dominican Republic on 19 February 1870.Dominican Republic: Integration with the USA Direct Democracy de The proposal was approved by 99.93% of voters, although turnout was just 30%. However, the United States Senate rejected the annexation on 30 June 1870 with a 28–28 vote.The Senate's Role in Treaties United States Senate Background The Dominican Republic originally became independent from Haiti in 1844 following the War of Independence. However, in 1861 the country was occupied by Spain following an inflation crisis. In 1865 the country became independent again following the Restoration War. By 1870 the country had significant debts caused by the ongoing Six Years' War. President Buenaventura Báez planned on selling the Samaná Peninsula to the United States for $1.1 million, whilst US President Ulysses S. Grant wanted to annex the entire country. A treaty was signed between the two countries on 29 November 1869. The US would purchase the Dominican Republic for $1.5 million and would lease the Samaná Peninsula for $147,229.91 for 99 years.Charles Sumner and the Annexation of the Dominican Republic Hidalgo, Dennis Itinerario-Leiden 1997 21 2 51–65 10.1017/S0165115300022841 163872610 On 16 February Báez ordered a referendum to be held in the form of a register. Eleven votes were registered as "against", in the final referendum results.http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=39211853001 Expansion Now!: Haiti," Santo Domingo," and Frederick Douglass at the Intersection of US and Caribbean Pan-Americanism Polyné, Millery Caribbean Studies 2006 34 2 3–45 Results 15695 11 30 Direct Democracy See also Proposed United States annexation of Santo Domingo 1868 Danish West Indies status referendum 1877 Saint Barthélemy status referendum References Category:Six Years' War Dominican Annexation Category:Referendums in the Dominican Republic Category:Dominican Republic–United States relations Category:Sovereignty referendums Dominican Category:United States–Caribbean relations Category:History of United States expansionism Category:Proposed states and territories of the United States