Hawaii Imperialism Essay

Imperialism is the practice of a nation attempting to use force, diplomacy, or other methods to expand its influence beyond its own borders. When the United States became a more powerful country, it started to want to expand its influence, especially in places where doing so would be advantageous to the country. The early 1800s saw the start of these initiatives to increase our political and economic might, as well as that of our European competitors. The Kingdom of Hawaii was one of the first territories that the United States sought to colonize. The island was a desirable option for the United States due to its geographical location as well as the abundance of natural resources including sugar cane and pineapple. Hawaii signed a "treaty of

Hawaii was a protectorate, even though it had full independence in theory, the US could still provide it with security. Many white immigrants arrived in Hawaii and throughout time wanted to establish a better administration to safeguard their financial interests. King David Kalakaua signed what is now referred to as the Bayonet Constitution of 1887 as a result of this pressure. This new constitution, which the king agreed to under duress, transferred executive authority from the king to a legislative body. With the help of the Hawaiian League, an organization run by white settlers, foreign property owners in Hawaii were granted the right to vote. There were many controversial views on the Annexation of Hawaii such as the perspective of Queen Liliuokalani, the opinions people of Hawaii, and the US

The former monarch Liliu'okalani, who was overthrown by American troops, made several trips to Washington, D.C., to advocate for Native Hawaiian rights and a just division of crown territories. Over half the population signed against the annexation. This portrays the fact that the people of Hawaii did not favor annexation and wanted to be free. Thousands of patriots attended the Hui Aloha 'ina's hlwai makainana (mass meeting) on September 6, 1897, which was held in Palace Square. "We, the nation (lāhui) will never consent to the annexation of our lands, until the very last patriot lives," President James Kaulia declared in a stirring speech (Kaulia). He anticipated that annexation would allow many foreigners to settle in Hawaii and rob the Native Americans of resources and employment opportunities. Then, he said, "Then where will we live?" (Kaulia). The mob responded, "In the mountains," which is code for "we shall be homeless." in a symbolic sense. He claimed that a widespread populace's rejection might stop the annexation: "If the nation remains steadfast in its protest of annexation, the Senate can continue to strive until the rock walls of ʻIolani Palace crumble, and never will Hawaiʻi be annexed to America!" (Kaulia). In this amazing speech, the people of Hawaii admitted that they would rather be homeless than have to agree to the annexation of Hawaii. This exhibits the