Henry M. Teller

Henry Teller
United States Senator from Colorado
In office March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1909
Preceded by	Nathaniel P. Hill
Succeeded by	Charles J. Hughes Jr.
In office November 15, 1876 – April 17, 1882
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	George M. Chilcott
15th United States Secretary of the Interior
In office April 18, 1882 – March 3, 1885
President	Chester A. Arthur
Preceded by	Samuel J. Kirkwood
Succeeded by	Lucius Lamar
Personal details
Born	(1830-05-23)May 23, 1830 Granger, New York, U.S.
Died	February 23, 1914(1914-02-23) (aged 83) Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Resting place	Fairmount Cemetery
Political party	Republican (1876–1897) Silver Republican (1897–1903) Democratic (1903–1909)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	Colorado Militia
Years of service	1864–1867
Rank	Major General
Battles/wars	Colorado War

Henry Moore Teller (May 23, 1830 – February 23, 1914) was an American politician from Colorado, serving as a U.S. senator between 1876–1882 and 1885–1909, also serving as Secretary of the Interior between 1882 and 1885. He strongly opposed the Dawes Act, intended to break up communal Native American lands and force assimilation of the people, accurately stating that it was directed at forcing the Indians to give up their land so that it could be sold to white settlers. Among his most prominent achievements was authoring the Teller Amendment which definitively stated that, following the Spanish–American War, the United States would not annex Cuba, rather that the purpose of their involvement would be to help it gain independence from Spain.