EVIL ACT UPON A NATIONS HAND
A Nation That Was Pushed Into The Darkness Lost and Confuse
THESIS
President McKinley
Born January in Niles, Ohio, on January 29, 1843. He was known for being president when the United States acquired Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines. President McKinley favored the annexation of Hawaii in 1898 during the Spanish American War. President McKinley had urged to annex the Hawaiian Island because he believed that the Hawaiian Island would be a successful place to store and enforce military purpose. With the annexation of the Hawaiian Island it helped the United State increasingly competitive realm power of politics in the Pacific. Within his success he created a new imperialism. President McKinley believed in imperialism as the economic and political dominance, growing industrial development and agriculture development. He was drawn to create a new imperialism with the influence of other nation Britain, France, Germany, Russia and Japan. He also believed that he had to compete with other nation in order to be on top and with this annexation of the Hawaiian Island it help the United State to be on top of the world.
PRESIDENT GROVER CLEVELAND
Born in Caldwell, New Jersey, on March 18, 1837. Served as the 22nd and 24th U.S president, he was known as a political reformer. President Grover Cleveland didn’t support the annexation and the overthrow of the Queen and the Hawaiian Kingdom in the beginning. During the act of the annexation he sends his secretary James Blount to write a report that the overthrow and the annexation were illegal and immoral. He also told the Committee of safety that was controlled by Sandford B. Dole and Lorin Thurston to lower the flag of the United State and return the kingdom to the Queen. Sanford B. Dole who took the throne of the Hawaiian Kingdom, refused to follow the presidents command as he claim a war against the President. “If you want it come and get it”. The President refused to go up against his own troops and called the annexation an act of war. President Cleveland did harm than good.
Minister John L. Stevens
Born in Mt. Vernon, on August 1, 1820. Known as a journalist, author, minister, newspaper publisher, and he was assigned to Hawaii to represent the United States political. The story behind Minister John L. Stevens was that he supported of the committee of safety that was controlled by Sanford B. Dole and Lorrin Thurston. He was asked if he would support the annexation of the Hawaiian kingdom and he accepted the favor. With his support he called upon 300 U.S. Marines from the United State cruiser Boston were called to Hawaii, supposedly to protect the Americans lives. Minister John L. Stevens instead called the U.S. Marine troops to surround the palace and threaten the Queen and ask for her surrender. Queen Liliuokalani never surrender to the provisional government, but she surrendered to the United State thinking the United State would give back the kingdom to her.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
The Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom on January 17, 1893 would not have been possible without the role of President William McKinley, President Grover Cleveland, and Minister John L. Stevens played. This topic is very important to history because no nation would want to be controlled by another nation. For example, when the Missionaries came to the Hawaiian Kingdom civilizing the Hawaiians, taking away their culture and beliefs. The Hawaiians didn't want their culture and beliefs to be taken away from them just like the U.S., they wouldn't want to give up any U.S. territory to any nations. Also History shouldn't repeat itself, this could be a lesson to all the nation that still wants to be on top of the word. I want the reader to understand that the annexation of the Hawaiian Kingdom was not legal because there was no treaty of annexation brought from President William McKinley. Also, the annexation was a devastating act from the committee of safety because it wasn't for John L. Stevens Queen Lilioukalani would've not surrender.
IS HAWAI'I LEGALLY AND LAWFULLY A STATE OF THE UNION
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
The picture below is the Queen Lili’oukalani being escorted by guards, where she faces house arrest after they found a hidden item in her garden during the process of the overthrow. The Queen was arrested January 16, 1895 on the second story of ‘Iolani Palce. She was guarded day and night, and no visitors were allowed.
CITATIONS
Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
"Miller Center." American President: American President. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2015.
"McKinley and the New Imperialism." Flashcards. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2015.
"The Overthrow of the Monarchy." The Overthrow of the Monarchy. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2015.
"Americans Overthrow Hawaiian Monarchy." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2015.