Today in History, July 7: Annexation of Hawaii

1898, on July 7, the United States of America formally annex Hawaii.

The United States of America's annexation of Hawaii in 1898 extended U.S. territory into the Pacific and resulted from economic integration and the rise of the United States as a Pacific power. For most of the 1800’s, leaders in Washington were concerned that Hawaii might become part of a European nation's empire. During the 1830’s, Britain and France forced Hawaii to accept treaties giving them economic privileges. In 1842, the United States sent a letter to the Hawaiian representation in Washington affirming U.S. interests in Hawaii and opposing annexation by any other nation.

At that time, Hawaii was a Kingdom reigned by Kamehameha III, King of the Hawaiian Islands. Because of the recognition of the Kingdom of Hawaii by the United States, the Hawaiian Kingdom entered treaties with the major nations of the world and established over ninety legations and consulates in multiple seaports and cities.

Sugar had been a major export from Hawaii since British Explorer, Captain James Cook's arrival in 1778. The first permanent plantation in the islands was on Kauai in 1835. Within thirty years there would be plantations on four of the main islands. Sugar had completely altered Hawaii's economy.

American influence in Hawaiian government began with American-born plantation owners demanding a say in Kingdom politics. This was driven by missionary religion and the economics of the sugar industry. Pressure from these foreign-born politicians was being felt by the King and chiefs with demands of land tenure. After the 1843 five-month occupation of Hawaii by the British, Kamehameha III relented to the foreign advisors to private land demands with the Great Mahele, a land redistribution law, intended to provide secure titles to Hawaiians. It would eventually end up separating of them from their land.

As early as 1873, a United States military commission recommended attempting to obtain Ford Island in exchange for the tax-free importation of sugar to the U.S. American control of Hawaii was considered vital for the defense of the west coast of the United States, and they were especially interested in Pu'uloa, Pearl Harbor. The sale of one of Hawaii's harbors was discussed with the Hawaiian government. But in November 1873, the negotiations were canceled by the Hawaiian Monarch. The United States went on pressuring Hawaii to surrender Pearl Harbor to the Navy. In 1875 the Reciprocity Treaty was signed between the United States and Hawaii in exchange for Ford Island and was valid for seven years. At the end of the seven-year reciprocity agreement, the United States showed little interest in renewal.

On January 17, 1893, foreign residents, mostly United States citizens, and subjects of the Kingdom of Hawaii called on to overthrow the Kingdom of Hawaii. They prevailed upon American minister John L. Stevens to call in the U.S. Marines to protect American interests. The revolutionaries committed a coup d’état against Queen Liliuokalani and established the Republic of Hawaii, but their ultimate goal was the annexation of the islands by the United States.

United States President Grover Cleveland called for an investigation into the overthrow. On July 17, 1893, the investigation concluded that the United States diplomatic and military representatives had abused their authority and were responsible for the change in government. The matter was referred by Cleveland to Congress on December 18, 1893 after the Queen refused to accept amnesty for the traitors as a condition of reinstatement.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, chaired and composed mostly of senators in favor of annexation, initiated their own investigation to discredit earlier report. Cleveland became stalled with his earlier efforts to restore the queen, and adopted a position of recognition of the so-called Provisional Government.

On July 4, 1894, the Republic of Hawaii was proclaimed. As a republic, it was the intention of the Hawaiian government to campaign for annexation with the United States of America. The justification behind annexation included a strong economic component. Hawaiian goods and services exported to the mainland would not be subject to American tariffs, and would benefit from domestic bounties, if Hawaii was part of the United States.

In 1897, William McKinley succeeded Cleveland as president. In 1898, the Spanish-American War broke out. McKinley convinced Congress to approve formal annexation, so as the US Navy could use the strategically important naval base at Pearl Harbor. On July 6, he signed the Newlands Resolution, which provided for the annexation of Hawaii on July 7, 1898. The formal ceremony marking the annexation was held on August 12, 1898. Most of the 40,000 Native Hawaiians did not attend, and those few who were on the streets wore royalist ilima blossoms in their hats or hair, and, on their breasts Hawaiian flags with the motto: Kuu Hae Aloha ("my beloved flag"). At the end of the ceremony the Hawaiian flag was lowered for the last time while the Royal Hawaiian Band played the Hawaiian national anthem, Hawaiʻi Ponoʻi.

Two years later, on February 22, 1900, Hawaii was organized into a formal U.S. territory and in 1959 entered the United States as the 50th state.