A Big Down Fall In Hawaiian History
Hawaiian kingdom overthrown and eventually annexed
Thesis
Due to President William Mckinely, Minister John L. Stevens, and President Grover Cleveland, the Hawaiian kingdom was over thrown on January 17, 1893 and later on annexed to the United States on June 14, 1900.
President William Mckinely
President Wiliam McKinely was the final part to the annexation of Hawaii. When President Grover Cleavland left office, he was replace by President William McKinley. President William McKinely was an Imperialist. meaning that he wants to extend his country power and influence through diplomacy or military force. During his reign, he was in the Spanish- American war. In order to win the war, he notice Pearl Harbor. He thought Pearl Harbor would be a strategic naval installation. So President William McKinely was for annexing Hawaii. What he did was called a joint resolution. Which is a majority of votes from both houses wants to annex Hawaii. Due to majority rules, President William McKnely signed the resolution to annex Hawaii and on June 14, 1990 Hawaii became a U.S territory.
Minister John L. Stevens
Minister John L. Stevens played a big role in annexing Hawaii. Minister John L. Stevens represented the U.S on all matters including political representation of the U.S. Minister John L. Stevens believed that Hawaiians were childlike and unfit to rule and run in government. So he was pro annexation for Hawaii. When Queen Lili'uokalani took the thrown, she promise the Hawaiian's that she would create a new constitution that would replace the Bayonet Constitution and reinstate the power of the monarchy. The Hawaiian League was concern about Queen Lili'uokalani and her new constitution so they formed the Committee of Safety. Since Minister John L. Stevens was for the annexation of Hawaii, he helped out the Committee of Safety. Minister John L. Stevens summoned the U.S marines to march down to downtown Honolulu and were instructed to protect American citizens while also trying to prevent the Hawaiian kingdom from protecting itself. Minister John L. Stevens threaten the Queen to surrender. Later the Committee of Safety and John L. Stevens were able to overthrow the Queen and set up a provisional government.
President Grover Cleaveland
President Grover Cleaveland was another key player that help annex Hawaii. What President Grover Cleaveland did was send James Blount to investigate the legality of the overthrow. James Blount wrote and reported back that the overthrow of Queen Lili'okalani was illegal and imortal. Even though the overthrow was found unjustly, Standford Dole didn't refuse to leave office. What president Grover Cleaveland did was absolutely nothing. he didn't do anything about Standford Dole not refusing to leave office or the evidence he was reported to about the overthrow being illegal and imortal. This basically singal that President Grover Cleaveland was for the annexation of Hawaii.
Conclusion
The overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom and the annexation of Hawaii was caused by three men, President William Mckinley, Minister John L. Stevens, and President Grover Cleavland. Due to these three men, we now know how Hawaii became a territory and the reasons why the Americans wanted to annex Hawaii. If King Kahmehameha V didn't gave the Americans permission to own land and David Kalakaua wasn't pressured into signing the Bayonet constitution the Hawaiian kingdom woouldn't have been overthrown and Hawaii would still be an independent country.
Is Hawaii legally and Lawfully a State of Hawaii?
Technically Hawaii is a state of the union, but the way the Americans overthrown the Hawaiian kingdom and annexed Hawaii was unlawfully. Hawaii is unlawfully a state of the union because the missionaries weren't suppose to get involve in the Hawaiian government and businesses and the Americans basically forcefully took away the powers of King Kalakaua. When the missionaries came to Hawaii, there job was to teach the Hawaiians how to be "civilized" and the religion' Christianity and God. When the missionaries finished there job in Hawaii some chose to stay due to the wealth growing from the sugar industry and other businesses (getting involved in business). Ever since King Kamehameha V gave Americans permission to own land, they started to take over almost all the land, causing only one percent of Hawaiian to own land (getting involved in government). lastly, the Hawaiian League came up with a plan to overthrow the Hawaiian government by creating the Bayonet constitution, which king David Kalakaua was forced to sign and diminished the powers of monarchy. This is why Hawaii is legally, but not lawfully a state of the union.
Supplement Information
The picture being shown is a petition against the annexation of Hawaii
http://hawaiiankingdom.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Clark_Petition.jpg