Aloha, Hawai'i
Hawai'i's Monarchy Comes to an Unjust End
Thesis
President Cleveland, President McKinley, and Minister John L. Stevens all played an important role in the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom on January 17, 1983.
President Grover Cleveland
President Cleveland was in office when the Committee of Safety overthrew Queen Liliuokalani and formed the Provisional Government in 1983, which was headed by Stanford B. Dole. The protests of the Hawaiian people against the annexation of Hawai’i reached Cleveland. Cleveland investigated in Liliuokalani’s overthrow and found it to be unjust. He opposed her overthrow, and considered it an “act of war” with the Hawaiian Kingdom. He told the men of the Provisional Government to lower the US Flag, and give the Hawaiian Kingdom back to Liliuokalani. However, they refused to leave office, and many Americans supported Dole and his efforts to annex Hawaii. Dole told Cleveland that he would have to point guns and have other Americans come and kill them if he wanted them out of office. Although he desired to help the Hawaiian people in restoring their monarchy, Cleveland refused to command Americans to kill other Americans.
President William McKinley
McKinley favored the idea of annexing Hawaii to The United States. At the start of his presidency, many Americans already favored annexation. However, he gained even more support in 1898 when the Spanish-American war began. Several parts of the Spanish-American war were fought in countries across the Pacific Ocean such as Guam and the Philippines. This period of time was when America’s main military force was the Navy. The Pacific Ocean was a long journey to travel across without a place to stop and refuel at. McKinley and a few pro-annexation forces agreed that Hawai’i would be a valuable navy installation, especially with Pearl Harbor if it were under the control of the US. In the same year, a joint resolution was passed by the House of Representatives and Senate, and on July 1989, McKinley signed the resolution to annex Hawai’i to the US. A year later on June 14, 1900, Hawai’i became a US territory.
Minister John L. Stevens
Minister John L. Stevens was a member of the Committee of Safety. The Committee of Safety was a group of haole businessmen that desired to overthrow Queen Liliuokalani, and annex Hawai’i to the United States. Before her overthrow, Liliuokalani was begged to by her people to create a new constitution that would reverse the effect of the Bayonet Constitution, and restore power to the monarchy and the Hawaiian people. Liliuokalani’s cabinet refused to sign on the constitution, and the Committee of Safety took advantage of Liliuokalani going against the Bayonet Constitution. Stevens himself summoned the US navy to come to Hawai’i, and they brought a military war ship and several troops to the island of Oahu, that were ready to shoot her and every Hawaiian unless she stepped down from her throne. January 17, 1893 marked the day the Hawaiian monarchy ended, as Stevens and the Committee of Safety performed a coup d'état. Stevens alongside the Committee of Safety formed the Provisional Government over Hawai’i without the permission of the US government.
Historical Significance
President Cleveland, President McKinley, and Minister John L. Stevens all played an important role in the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom on January 17, 1893.
This topic is important to history, because this marked the end of an independent country that was filled with excellent pioneers and innovators that were isolated from the rest of the world for centuries. The Hawaiian people trusted and welcomed the foreigners that came to the island, and showcased their culture. However, their kind nature was taken advantage of by Americans. Their independence as people and as a country was ripped out of their hands.
The Hawaiian people were left betrayed, as they tried fighting an already lost war with the United States against annexation. Foreigners that were originally meant to help the Hawaiian people turned around and fought to help annex their country to the US. When Queen Liliuokalani was overthrown, Hawaiians did not only feel betrayed by their foreign advisers, but also devastated by the loss of their queen. However, the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom has a long lasting effect on the Hawaiian people. Even today, many Hawaiians feel bitter for their country being stripped of its independence over a century ago. Some Hawaiians still want Hawai'i to become an independent country again, their anger from their ancestors burning within them. Whether this consequence was intended or unintended is unclear.
Is Hawai'i Legally and Lawfully a State of the Union?
Hawai’i was not legally and lawfully made a state of the union, because not only was Queen Liliuokalani overthrown without a valid reason, but the voices and pleads of the Hawaiian people were ignored. They protested against the annexation of their country, but their went unheard by the American people. Americans wrongfully took their land despite a majority of them being against annexation.
Supplemental Information
Citation
Gutekunst, Frederick. "Cleveland in 1903." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2015.
"John L. Stevens." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_L._Stevens#/media/File:Johnlstevens.jpg>.
- "Kaulana Na Pua." YouTube. Project KULEANA, n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2015.
- "Role of U.S. Government in the Overthrow." + Hawaii Alive. Bishop Museum, n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2015.
- Sai, Keanu. "The 1893 Attempted Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom." Mauna a Wakea. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2015.
"William McKinley." Wikipedia. Courtney Art Studio, n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_McKinley#/media/File:William_McKinley_by_Courtney_Art_Studio,_1896.jpg>.