Henry M. Teller

Henry Teller
United States Senator
from Colorado
In office
March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1909
Preceded byNathaniel P. Hill
Succeeded byCharles J. Hughes Jr.
In office
November 15, 1876 – April 17, 1882
Preceded bySeat established
Succeeded byGeorge M. Chilcott
15th United States Secretary of the Interior
In office
April 18, 1882 – March 3, 1885
PresidentChester A. Arthur
Preceded bySamuel J. Kirkwood
Succeeded byLucius Lamar
Personal details
Born(1830-05-23)May 23, 1830
Granger, New York, U.S.
DiedFebruary 23, 1914(1914-02-23) (aged 83)
Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Resting placeFairmount Cemetery
Political partyRepublican (1876–1897)
Silver Republican (1897–1903)
Democratic (1903–1909)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/serviceColorado Militia
Years of service1864–1867
RankMajor General
Battles/warsColorado 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.