The Annexation of Hawaii
Who was involved in Annexing Hawaii?
Thesis
President Grover Cleveland
President Grover Cleveland was not in favor of the annexation of Hawaii. President Grover Cleveland is an anti- imperialist who had just taken office when the overthrow was being taken place. Grover Cleveland responded to native Hawaiians protests against the overthrow by ordering an investigation into its legality. His officials found that the queen had been removed from power unjustly. Grover Cleveland sends Secretary Blount to investigate the overthrow also. He comes back to Grover Cleveland with a report over 1,400 pages long. His investigation lasted 4 months. On the report, he sides on the Hawaiians, he says the overthrow is illegal and immoral. So Grover Cleveland orders the Hawaiian league to lower all American Flags from the buildings and return the power back to the queen. The Hawaiian League refuses to give back power and refuses to take down all flags. The only way for them to give back power was for the U.S. to kill them. Grover Cleveland did nothing to answer back.
U.S. Minister John L. Stevens
The Committee with their aim on annexing Hawaii called upon U.S. Minster John L. Stevens, the U.S. state department's Minister to Hawaii. He was chosen to summon U.S. Marines to the Hawaiian islands. He instructed the marines to protect American residents. Their presence also prevented the Hawaiian Kingdom from defending itself, leaving them in a corner with no escape. U.S. Minister John L. Stevens represents the Political, U.S. wishes, he is a racist. John L. Stevens said that Hawaiians are child like, unfit to rule, and semi barbaric. His view of Hawaiians are very similar to the Committee of Safety. He supported the Coup' de tat on Hawaii. When the Queen surrendered, she surrendered to the U.S. Government, she never surrendered to the Provisional Government lead by Sanford B. Dole, Lorrin Thurston. The Committee had no power to order the troops onto Hawaii, only the President had the power too.
President William Mckinley
When President Grover Cleveland left office, President William Mckinley took office. He was not like former President Grover Cleveland, he did not share the same laissez-faire ideas as Grover Cleveland. He was in favor of annexing Hawaii. He gained his support in early 1898, when the U.S. entered the Spanish-American War. Inspired by the battles that took place in the Pacific, pro-annexation forces argued that Hawaii could be a valuable Pacific naval installation if it were under the United States control. He wants Hawaii, more importantly Pearl Harbor as a stopping point to refuel and restock on supplies for the Military. He proposes an Annexation Treaty to annex Hawaii. He could not get the 2/3 votes in the senate to pass the Annexation Treaty. So he proposes a Congressional Joint Resolution also known as the “New Lands Resolution”, it passes the senate, but the votes should not have been allowed.
Historic Significance
Is Hawaii legally and lawfully a State of the Union?
Supplemental Information
Work Cited
"Queen Liliuokalani, 1887 - Portrait." Queen Liliuokalani, 1887 - Portrait. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2015.
"Committee of Safety (Hawaii)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2015.
"Hawaiian Kingdom Blog." Hawaiian Kingdom Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar.