American Imperialism & the Annexation of Hawaii

Summary

U.S. Industrial Growth and Imperial Competition

• After the Civil War, the United States industrialized rapidly and became a leading economic power, surpassing Britain in the production of iron, steel, and coal.
• The lesson contrasts this economic strength with America’s comparatively small army and navy. European powers had larger forces and established colonies around the world.
• With much of the world already claimed by European empires, competition for influence and territory encouraged the United States to pursue overseas expansion.

Manifest Destiny as an Expansionist Idea

• The lesson connects overseas expansion to Manifest Destiny: the belief that God had destined the United States to expand and spread democracy and capitalism.
• It presents this as a romanticized interpretation of U.S. history, rather than an inevitable process. Earlier territorial growth included the Louisiana Purchase, acquisitions from Britain and Spain, Texas, Oregon, the Mexican Cession, and the Gadsden Purchase.
• Some Americans argued that the country’s expansion should not stop at the Pacific coast.
• Journalist John L. O’Sullivan, who coined the term “Manifest Destiny,” described U.S. expansion as divinely supported and not to be stopped by any earthly power.

Why Hawaii Mattered

• American missionaries arrived in Hawaii in 1820, seeking to convert Native Hawaiians to Christianity. The lesson also emphasizes the commercial interests that drew Americans to the islands, especially sugarcane.
• Hawaii offered several advantages to the United States:
  • A location for trade with China and Southeast Asia.
  • A refueling and resupply point for ships crossing the Pacific.
  • A potential naval base with strategic value.
  • A way to prevent rival powers, including Britain and Japan, from gaining influence there.
• By 1890, American companies controlled much of Hawaii’s arable land. Plantation workers received low wages and endured poor conditions. The lesson describes how racist attitudes contributed to the unequal treatment of Native Hawaiians.
• Immigration also brought diseases to which Native Hawaiians had little previous exposure, contributing to a severe decline in the population.

From Business Influence to Overthrow

• American plantation owners wanted Hawaii annexed partly to avoid tariffs on sugar shipped to the United States.
• In 1887, the Bayonet Constitution was imposed on King Kalākaua, weakening the monarchy and increasing the power of American business interests.
• Queen Liliʻuokalani, who took power in 1891, sought to restore the monarchy’s authority and reduce American influence.
• In 1893, American business leaders, supported by U.S. Marines who landed on the islands, overthrew the queen. A provisional government led by Sanford Dole was established.
• U.S. Minister John L. Stevens quickly recognized the new government and supported Hawaii becoming an American possession.

Debate Over Annexation

• President Grover Cleveland opposed annexation. After an investigation, he concluded that the United States had acted improperly and called for the Hawaiian monarchy to be restored. The provisional government refused to comply.
• In 1894, Hawaii became a republic under Dole, who became its president without an election, according to the lesson.
• President William McKinley, elected in 1896, supported annexation. His administration pursued a treaty, while anti-imperialist groups argued against taking control of Hawaii.
• The outbreak of the Spanish-American War changed the debate. Hawaii’s position was seen as strategically useful to U.S. forces operating in the Pacific, particularly in relation to the Philippines.
• In 1898, the United States approved annexation, and Hawaii became a U.S. territory.

Main Takeaway

The lesson portrays Hawaii’s annexation as the result of overlapping motives: strategic competition, commercial interests, and the belief in American expansion. It also highlights the costs to Native Hawaiians and the opposition to annexation within the United States. The video concludes by distinguishing American expansionism from imperialism, noting that the difference will be explored in later lessons.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Narrator/teacher — presents the lesson and its historical interpretation.
• John L. O’Sullivan — quoted on Manifest Destiny and U.S. expansion.
• John L. Stevens — quoted in support of American control of Hawaii.
• Grover Cleveland — quoted in opposition to annexation.
• William McKinley — cited for his support of annexation.
• Political cartoon imagery — described as depicting Uncle Sam’s expansion and other powers’ reactions.