The annexation of Hawaii by the United States in 1898 marked a significant expansion of U.S. territory into the Pacific Ocean and underscored America’s growing influence as a global power. This pivotal event, driven by a complex interplay of economic ambitions, strategic considerations, and expansionist fervor, unfolded over decades, ultimately culminating in Hawaii becoming a U.S. territory. Understanding Why Did The Us Annex Hawaii requires examining the historical context of the 19th century and the evolving relationship between the two nations.
From the early 1800s, the United States had recognized the strategic importance of the Hawaiian Islands. Initially, Washington policymakers were wary of European powers, particularly Britain and France, potentially seizing control of Hawaii. During the 1830s and 1840s, these European nations exerted pressure on Hawaii, securing economic advantages through treaties. In response to these growing foreign interests, U.S. Secretary of State Daniel Webster articulated America’s stance in 1842, affirming U.S. interests in Hawaii and firmly opposing annexation by any other nation. Webster further proposed to both Great Britain and France that no country should seek exclusive privileges or engage in further colonization within the Hawaiian Islands. This early declaration laid the groundwork for the formal relationship established in 1849, when the United States and Hawaii signed a treaty of friendship, solidifying official diplomatic ties.
Hawaii’s economic landscape became increasingly intertwined with the United States throughout the 19th century. The islands served as a crucial provisioning hub for American whaling ships traversing the Pacific. Furthermore, Hawaii’s fertile lands proved ideal for American Protestant missionaries and, most importantly, for the burgeoning sugarcane industry. The economic integration deepened significantly with the 1875 trade reciprocity treaty, which cemented the economic bond between the U.S. and Hawaii. This treaty paved the way for American sugar plantation owners to establish dominance over the Hawaiian economy and political sphere. These powerful planters, primarily of American origin, gradually exerted considerable influence on the islands’ governance.
A turning point arrived when Queen Liliuokalani sought to restore power to the monarchy, a move perceived as a direct threat by the American sugar planters. Fearing economic repercussions, particularly the potential imposition of devastating tariffs on Hawaiian sugar exports to the U.S., these planters, under the leadership of Samuel Dole, orchestrated a coup in 1893. The administration of President Benjamin Harrison tacitly supported this action, dispatching sailors from the USS Boston to Honolulu, ostensibly to maintain order, but effectively bolstering the coup. John L. Stevens, the U.S. minister to Hawaii, actively collaborated with the newly established provisional government.
In 1894, Dole’s government dispatched a delegation to Washington D.C. to formally request annexation. However, President Grover Cleveland, upon assuming office, opposed annexation and even attempted to reinstate Queen Liliuokalani, recognizing the questionable circumstances surrounding her removal. Despite Cleveland’s efforts, Dole declared Hawaii an independent republic, further entrenching the planters’ control. The political landscape shifted dramatically with the onset of the Spanish-American War in 1898. The surge of nationalism ignited by the war, coupled with the strategic imperative of controlling Hawaii as a Pacific military outpost, provided the final impetus for annexation. President William McKinley, recognizing the strategic advantages, urged Congress to annex Hawaii, and in 1898, annexation was formally completed. Hawaii officially became a U.S. territory in 1900, with Samuel Dole appointed as its first governor. Despite becoming a territory, factors such as racial attitudes and partisan politics in the United States delayed Hawaii’s statehood for several decades. It was not until 1959, as part of a bipartisan compromise linking its status with Alaska, that Hawaii finally achieved statehood.
In conclusion, the annexation of Hawaii was the result of a confluence of factors, prominently including long-standing U.S. economic interests in sugar production, the perceived strategic necessity of Hawaii as a Pacific power projection base, and the prevailing expansionist sentiments within the United States in the late 19th century. The question of why did the US annex Hawaii is answered by understanding this complex interplay of economic opportunism, strategic foresight, and the historical momentum of American expansionism.
