"The Treaty of Paris (1898) officially ended the Spanish-American War. The United States acquired Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines as territories. Cuba technically gained its independence, but United States soldiers remained in the country for years, commonly intervening in the new nation's politics."
Answer: A recession is a period of economic contraction, where businesses see less demand and begin to lose money. To cut costs and stem losses, companies begin laying off workers, generating higher levels of unemployment.
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The West Indies gave the colonies the chance to trade with other countries.