How Hawaii was annexed by the USA

[Knarly Dan]

The 1897 Petition Against the Annexation of Hawaii

In 1893 the last monarch of Hawaii, Queen Lili'uokalani, was overthrown by party of businessmen, who then imposed a provisional government. Soon after, President Benjamin Harrison submitted a treaty to annex the Hawaiian islands to the U.S. Senate for ratification.

In 1897, the treaty effort was blocked when the newly-formed Hawaiian Patriotic League, composed of native Hawaiians, successfully petitioned the U.S. Congress in opposition of the treaty.

However, in 1898 the battleship Maine blew up in Havana harbor, triggering the Spanish-American war. Native Hawaiian hopes to remain independent sank right along with that ship.

 

[Jake10]

It seems like it was only a matter of time.

 

[Emperor of Wurttemburg 43]

To be fair as a US state, Hawaii is largely independent since 1959. She can even elect representatives to have input in issues regarding the mainland US. She's got the backing of the most powerful military on earth and nowadays their nuclear arsenal if she's attacked and can otherwise do whatever she wants as long as it doesn't violate a few vague phrases in a two hundred year old document AND someone sues over that violation AND a court of nine elderly people decide that violation is interesting and disagree ideologically with Hawaii on it(which means she can do basically whatever she wants). She is arguably more powerful as a US state than as an independent kingdom.

Heck a citizen of Hawaii has even been elected President something dozens of mainland states have failed to achieve.

 

[M.S. Islam]

To be fair as a US state, Hawaii is largely independent since 1959. She can even elect representatives to have input in issues regarding the mainland US. She's got the backing of the most powerful military on earth and nowadays their nuclear arsenal if she's attacked and can otherwise do whatever she wants as long as it doesn't violate a few vague phrases in a two hundred year old document AND someone sues over that violation AND a court of nine elderly people decide that violation is interesting and disagree ideologically with Hawaii on it(which means she can do basically whatever she wants). She is arguably more powerful as a US state than as an independent kingdom.

Heck a citizen of Hawaii has even been elected President something dozens of mainland states have failed to achieve.

You were not doing too badly as a British colony, part of the largest & wealthiest empire, protected under the most powerful navy on earth. Was American independence that necessary?

 

[Emperor of Wurttemburg 43]

You were not doing too badly as a British colony, part of the largest & wealthiest empire, protected under the most powerful navy on earth. Was American independence that necessary?

This post is a pretty pro American response to your question.

Isn't the American Empire much larger and much wealthier nowadays(we also have the largest navy by FAR)? Also the British Crown didn't give you the same freedom as Hawaii has. Well the USA gives you the same if not more of the same freedom the original 13 colonies had( including the two I've lived in) depending on your population in the house and 2 votes in the senate, same as any state! Isn't being one of 50 semi independent entities under the US federal government(aka the world wrecking regime),which even has the right to have legal input(albeit small) on the activity's of the other 49 aforementioned entities worth it? You've got 2 senators and 3+ congressman who have a say in everything that the US federal government does. With 4 votes in Congress you have more representation than 5 US states and DIC. Hawaii is the only majority Asian state in our union, but they are still a valuable part of our team, and I don't think I stand alone when I say we love them!

Hawaii post 1959 is as equal shareholder in US hegemony as any other state(again a Hawaian born man once commanded our military and nuclear arsenal, is any more proof needed they are truly one of us?)it's even got one of the fifty US stars(it's on our flag). It's 1.5 million person population native or otherwise is on our team and they are our brothers/sisters(go Hawaii go!). Hawaii is superior to the island of the UK as a US state and one of it's citizens by birth even got to arguably dictate and/or control the UK's actions(if there is proof this isn't the case you're welcome to dispute it, seriously I love having intellectual disagreements) to try to disprove my statement. (but since Suez I see no reason to think the UK is anything but US junior)!

At the end of the day I'm trying to paint Hawaii as one of many willing actors([post 1959 pre 1991 rule) who've helped along US imperialism(for better and worse). They are not a conquered province, they are a shareholder in our incredibly expensive hegemony, they are not a victim(anymore, since 1959 they've been part of our lunatic family). Important to note that every bill the US congress passes Hawaii's representatives has had a say on it. Four states in the US Hawaii has more representation than in the US congress, almost sixty years later it has been fully integrated into the American state.

 

[betgo]

That Hawaii has political rights now does not mean it was not conquered. There was a coup by sugar planters who were mostly the sons of New England missionaries. Native Hawaiins generally opposed the annexation.

It was not inevitable. The Hawaiin flag is a combination of the British, French, and US flags, the three foreign powers with the most influence. Hawaii could have remained independent or become part of the British, French, German, or Japanese Empire.

 

[M.S. Islam]

This post is a pretty pro American response to your question.

Isn't the American Empire much larger and much wealthier nowadays(we also have the largest navy by FAR)? Also the British Crown didn't give you the same freedom as Hawaii has. Well the USA gives you the same if not more of the same freedom the original 13 colonies had( including the two I've lived in) depending on your population in the house and 2 votes in the senate, same as any state! Isn't being one of 50 semi independent entities under the US federal government(aka the world wrecking regime),which even has the right to have legal input(albeit small) on the activity's of the other 49 aforementioned entities worth it? You've got 2 senators and 3+ congressman who have a say in everything that the US federal government does. With 4 votes in Congress you have more representation than 5 US states and DIC. Hawaii is the only majority Asian state in our union, but they are still a valuable part of our team, and I don't think I stand alone when I say we love them!

Hawaii post 1959 is as equal shareholder in US hegemony as any other state(again a Hawaian born man once commanded our military and nuclear arsenal, is any more proof needed they are truly one of us?)it's even got one of the fifty US stars(it's on our flag). It's 1.5 million person population native or otherwise is on our team and they are our brothers/sisters(go Hawaii go!). Hawaii is superior to the island of the UK as a US state and one of it's citizens by birth even got to arguably dictate and/or control the UK's actions(if there is proof this isn't the case you're welcome to dispute it, seriously I love having intellectual disagreements) to try to disprove my statement. (but since Suez I see no reason to think the UK is anything but US junior)!

At the end of the day I'm trying to paint Hawaii as one of many willing actors([post 1959 pre 1991 rule) who've helped along US imperialism(for better and worse). They are not a conquered province, they are a shareholder in our incredibly expensive hegemony, they are not a victim(anymore, since 1959 they've been part of our lunatic family). Important to note that every bill the US congress passes Hawaii's representatives has had a say on it. Four states in the US Hawaii has more representation than in the US congress, almost sixty years later it has been fully integrated into the American state.

The world has changed a lot since 1776. I am sure the American colonies would have had significant representation in the British parliament by now, along with more than one prime ministers considering the population ratio between the British isles and the colonies.

 

[Baltis]

The world has changed a lot since 1776. I am sure the American colonies would have had significant representation in the British parliament by now, along with more than one prime ministers considering the population ratio between the British isles and the colonies.

That we might have had significant representation in the British Parliament 200 years later would likely make a fairly weak argument for remaining 2nd class citizens in 1776.

 

[stevev]

The Japanese almost took control of Hawaii....in 1897!...

Japan also had an interest in Hawaii.

 

[Emperor of Wurttemburg 43]

That Hawaii has political rights now does not mean it was not conquered. There was a coup by sugar planters who were mostly the sons of New England missionaries. Native Hawaiins generally opposed the annexation.

It was not inevitable. The Hawaiin flag is a combination of the British, French, and US flags, the three foreign powers with the most influence. Hawaii could have remained independent or become part of the British, French, German, or Japanese Empire.

The period between the conquest and statehood was about 70 years, not bad IMO.Quite a few US states use elements of foreign flags in their own. From quickly scanning the pictures, 2 use the Spanish flag, 1 use the Dutch and French flag, 1 uses the Monacan flag weirdly enough and Hawaii is the only one to use the British flag(it should be understandable why it's not a popular choice).

I don't know why the possibility of joining empires who subjugated their colonies or gave gave them lesser rights would be brought up as an alternative.