Liliuokalani succeeded to the Hawaiian throne in 1891, and seemed determined to reverse the growing US influence. She refused to accept the Bayonet Constitution of 1887, and instead replaced it with one built around her own personal authority. Her actions triggered a response from the European and American population on the island, who organised themselves and gained support from the US marines stationed at Pearl Harbour. Two years after Liliuokalani came to power, she was deposed in the bloodless coup. When Grover Cleveland took the US presidency in March he offered some hope to the supporters of the monarchy by ordering an investigation into the coup. It was concluded that the monarchy had been deposed illegally. Aware that the majority of Hawaiians did not support Dole’s new regime, Cleveland sent an ambassador to Hawaii to return the queen to power under the old constitution of 1887. Dole refused to stand down, and Cleveland was reluctant to use force. Hawaii was not annexed to the United States, but Dole was left to rule over a newly independent republic. The breakout of the Spanish American War in 1898 finally pressured the US Congress into officially annexing Hawaii, to ensure the United States kept control of the strategically vital Pearl Harbour. Two years later the islands were officially absorbed into US territory, and in 1959 they finally became the fiftieth State. Hawaii is the only US state to have formerly been an independent country with its own monarchy. During Bill Clinton’s term in office an official apology was issued by the US government, admitting the Hawaiian monarchy had been abolished illegally. Hawaii was the last state to join the USA. The process by which it did proved to be incredibly controversial.]]>
The End of Monarchy in Hawaii
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Kealii
You cannot annex foreign territory what are you talking about. Hawaii never lost its sovereignty and is still an independent nation illegaly occupied by the u.s. military. THERE IS NO TREATY OF ANNEXATION.
Kenneth R. Conklin, Ph.D.
Treaty of Annexation between the Republic of Hawaii and the United States of America (1898). Full text of the treaty, and of the resolutions whereby the Republic of Hawaii legislature and the U.S. Congress ratified it.
Kenneth R. Conklin, Ph.D.
Sovereignty activists say the revolution that overthrew the monarchy was illegal, and that the ensuing Republic of Hawaii was not internationally recognized as a nation and therefore had no right to offer a treaty of annexation to the United States. But letters granting full diplomatic recognition to the Republic of Hawaii were personally signed in Fall 1894 by Emperors, Kings, Queens, and Presidents of at least 19 foreign nations on 4 continents written in 11 languages, including Queen Victoria of Britain, President Grover Cleveland, Tsar Alexander III of Russia, the King and Queen of Spain, President of France, Crown Prince of China on behalf of the Emperor, and others. Photographs of letters from all 19 nations are available at
http://tinyurl.com/4wtwdz
“Hawaii Statehood — straightening out the history-twisters. A historical narrative defending the legitimacy of the revolution of 1893, the annexation of 1898, and the statehood vote of 1959” at
http://www.angelfire.com/big09a/StatehoodHistUntwistedFull.html