The annexation of

Hawaii
Background: Interest in Hawaii began in the 1820s
when missionaries tried to spread
Christianity to the island chain. By the 1840s, American
investors began pouring money into Hawaii's sugar and
fruit industries due to its ideal climate. As the United States
pushed westward and admitted California into the union in
1850, Hawaii became more even more important as it
offered potential as a site for a future military base. In
1875, in order to maintain their positive relationship, the
U.S. government agreed to allow Hawaiian sugar imports to
bypass tariffs. By 1887, this exclusive trade deal was
accompanied with the U.S. demand for a naval base off the
coast of Oahu known as Pearl Harbor.

More American planters Mlooded Hawaii

Annexation: and, by the end of 1887, staged a revolt
that forced King Kalakaua to create a
constitutional government with regular elections. By 1890,
Americans had dominated the Hawaiian government and
controlled two-thirds of its land. This strong-American force
intensiMied with the passage of the McKinley Tariff in 1890,
which reintroduced import duties on Hawaiian sugar. This
Hawaii remained a U.S.
resulted in heavy losses for American planters. A strict
Hawaiian nationalist, Queen Liliuokalani replaced her Statehood: territory until 1959; one
reason it took so long for
brother on the throne a year later in 1891 and demanded an
Hawaii to become a U.S. state was the beneMit
end to foreign inMluence, "Aloha Oe" she proclaimed (Hawaii
that white wealthy planters received by
is for the Hawaiians!”).
keeping Hawaii in territory status. By
remaining a territory, wealthy planters
In 1893, U.S. Marines were illegally ordered to occupy
beneMited from low tariffs and cheap labor by
Hawaii, and the Senate blocked a hastily created to annex the
exploiting the local population. Naturally,
island chain. U.S. President Grover Cleveland, a strict anti-
native Hawaiians began to push for statehood
imperialist, demanded an investigation into the matter and
to ensure access to the same rights and
wished for Queen Liliuokalani's rule to be restored. The
freedoms as citizens living in the continental
provisional government, led by Sanford Dole, however,
United States. They also wanted to elect their
refused to cooperate. With Cleveland unwilling to use the
own governor as well as voting members to
American military, he essentially dropped the issue. On July
Congress, instead of having them appointed.
4, 1894, the Republic of Hawaii was proclaimed and formally
In 1903, Congress denied Hawaiians Mirst
recognized by the United States.
attempt at statehood. Several attempts to
make Hawaii a state continued, once in 1937
Once the Spanish-American War ended in 1898, Hawaii's
and again in 1942. However, it was not until
strategic location as a link to the PaciMic revived the debate
1959 when President Dwight Eisenhower
over Hawaii's annexation. The United States, now with
signed resolutions to admit both Alaska and
control over the Philippines and Guam, viewed Hawaii as a
Hawaii. Finally, on August 21, 1959, Hawaii
military necessity to maintain control over the region. On
ofMicially was admitted as the 50th state to the
July 7, 1900, President William McKinley approved a
United States.
resolution that added Hawaii as a U.S. territory.

© History with Mr. E

Specializing in American and World History for late Elementary, Middle, and early High School
Name ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Period _______

The annexation of Hawaii

1.) What was the argument for annexing Hawaii to the United States? What was the argument against it?

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2.) Why was annexing Hawaii a controversial decision?

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3.) European countries met in 1884 at the Berlin Conference in Germany to discuss the colonization of Africa.
This event kicked off the "Age of Imperialism." However, what evidence is there that this age started well before
this meeting?

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4.) In what ways did American imperialists take advantage of, and exploit, Hawaii?

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5.) If you could have dinner with Grover Cleveland or William McKinley, who would you choose? Why?

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© History with Mr. E
Specializing in American and World History for late Elementary, Middle, and early High School
Name ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Period _______

New York, July 24, 1897

To His Excellency HON. WILLIAM MC.KINLEY

President of The United States;

MY DEAR SIR; -
I have this day authorized my Secretary, Mr. Joseph Heleluhe, to forward to you
certain petitions of the Hawaiian people which were entrusted to him as their
Commissioner by the patriotic societies they have organized. I write you these
lines simply to confirm the statements made by him in his letter to you.

It would have been a pleasure to me to have met you in person, and it was
expected on the part of the Hawaiian nation that I would have had the
opportunity to tell you of their great trust in the United States government,
their love of their own independence, and their hope that although they are
without official representation in Washington, you would be pleased willingly
to listen to their prayers. But since circumstances have ordered otherwise, I
can only commit to your careful consideration their present unhappy condition,
as that of the weak in the grasp of the strong, and assure you of my
unfaltering trust that the Almighty Ruler of the Universe may guide your
councils into the ways of justice to all and peace to those most interested.

Very sincerely yours,

Liliuokalani

1.) When was this letter written? Who was writing, and who was it written to?
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2.) What is the purpose of this letter?
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3.) What does the author mean when she says, "I can only commit to your careful consideration . . . as
that of the weak in the grasp of the strong . . . "

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4.) Does a stronger nation have an obligation to protect a weaker one? Why or why not?
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© History with Mr. E
Specializing in American and World History for late Elementary, Middle, and early High School