US.24 Describe the consequences of American imperialism of the period, including the following events:
● annexation of Hawaii
● Spanish-American War
● Philippine Insurrection
● Roosevelt Corollary
● Panama Canal
● annexation of Hawaii
● Spanish-American War
● Philippine Insurrection
● Roosevelt Corollary
● Panama Canal
View the short video on the Annexation of Hawaii. After viewing, you should be able to answer the target questions below.
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1. Who led the group of planters that staged a coup in Hawaii? Where might you have heard or seen his name before? 2. What were the planters trying to protect against? 3. Who opposed the annexation? 4. Why is Hawaii important regarding its location? |
Click here to read in detail about the annexation of Hawaii. Be able to answer the target questions below.
1. Who was the Queen of Hawaii during U.S. imperialism?
2. What reasons were given for the overthrow of the Hawaiian government? 3. What did President Cleveland recommend the U.S. do about the situation in Hawaii? What did Congress end up doing? |
4. Who declared himself President of Hawaii?
5. Which U.S. president called for a joint resolution of Congress to officially make Hawaii a U.S. territory? |
Primary Sources: Cases For and Against Annexation. Analyze the following primary sources and answer the target questions.
Primary Source #1: This is a petition (one of many pages) against the annexation of Hawaii. Think in terms of a Hawaiian native at the time of the annexation when answering the following questions.
How might you have felt about your home island being annexed to the United States? What would be possible advantages of being a territory of the United States? What would be the disadvantages?
How might you have felt about your home island being annexed to the United States? What would be possible advantages of being a territory of the United States? What would be the disadvantages?
Primary Source #2: Excerpts from President Grover Cleveland's Message to Congress regarding the annexation of Hawaii.
Citing evidence from the text, what position does Cleveland take on the annexation? What personal qualities/beliefs do you believe Pres. Cleveland possessed based on these excerpts?
"As I apprehend the situation, we are brought face to face with the following conditions:
"The lawful Government of Hawaii was overthrown without the drawing of a sword or the firing of a shot by a process every step of which, it may be safely asserted, is directly traceable to and dependent for its success upon the agency of the United States acting through its diplomatic and naval representatives.
But for the notorious predilections of the United States Minister for annexation, the Committee of Safety, which should be called the Committee of Annexation, would never have existed.
But for the landing of the United States forces upon false pretexts respecting the danger to life and property the committee would never have exposed themselves to the pains and penalties of treason by undertaking the subversion of the Queen's Government.
But for the presence of the United States forces in the immediate vicinity and in position to afford all needed protection and support the committee would not have proclaimed the provisional government from the steps of the Government building.
And finally, but for the lawless occupation of Honolulu under false pretexts by the United States forces, and but for Minister Stevens' recognition of the provisional government when the United States forces were its sole support and constituted its only military strength, the Queen and her Government would never have yielded to the provisional government, even for a time and for the sole purpose of submitting her case to the enlightened justice of the United States.
"By an act of war, committed with the participation of a diplomatic representative of the United States and without authority of Congress, the Government of a feeble but friendly and confiding people has been overthrown. A substantial wrong has thus been done which a due regard for our national character as well as the rights of the injured people requires we should endeavor to repair. The provisional government has not assumed a republican or other constitutional form, but has remained a mere executive council or oligarchy, set up without the assent of the people. It has not sought to find a permanent basis of popular support and has given no evidence of an intention to do so. Indeed, the representatives of that government assert that the people of Hawaii are unfit for popular government and frankly avow that they can be best ruled by arbitrary or despotic power."
Adapted from: www.hawaii-nation.org/cleveland.html
Citing evidence from the text, what position does Cleveland take on the annexation? What personal qualities/beliefs do you believe Pres. Cleveland possessed based on these excerpts?
"As I apprehend the situation, we are brought face to face with the following conditions:
"The lawful Government of Hawaii was overthrown without the drawing of a sword or the firing of a shot by a process every step of which, it may be safely asserted, is directly traceable to and dependent for its success upon the agency of the United States acting through its diplomatic and naval representatives.
But for the notorious predilections of the United States Minister for annexation, the Committee of Safety, which should be called the Committee of Annexation, would never have existed.
But for the landing of the United States forces upon false pretexts respecting the danger to life and property the committee would never have exposed themselves to the pains and penalties of treason by undertaking the subversion of the Queen's Government.
But for the presence of the United States forces in the immediate vicinity and in position to afford all needed protection and support the committee would not have proclaimed the provisional government from the steps of the Government building.
And finally, but for the lawless occupation of Honolulu under false pretexts by the United States forces, and but for Minister Stevens' recognition of the provisional government when the United States forces were its sole support and constituted its only military strength, the Queen and her Government would never have yielded to the provisional government, even for a time and for the sole purpose of submitting her case to the enlightened justice of the United States.
"By an act of war, committed with the participation of a diplomatic representative of the United States and without authority of Congress, the Government of a feeble but friendly and confiding people has been overthrown. A substantial wrong has thus been done which a due regard for our national character as well as the rights of the injured people requires we should endeavor to repair. The provisional government has not assumed a republican or other constitutional form, but has remained a mere executive council or oligarchy, set up without the assent of the people. It has not sought to find a permanent basis of popular support and has given no evidence of an intention to do so. Indeed, the representatives of that government assert that the people of Hawaii are unfit for popular government and frankly avow that they can be best ruled by arbitrary or despotic power."
Adapted from: www.hawaii-nation.org/cleveland.html
Primary Source #3: An account of the annexation from Queen Liliuokalani, the last queen of Hawaii.
What did the queen think about the Provisional Government? Did she advocate for open rebellion? Why or why not?
"I owed no allegiance to the Provisional Government so established, nor to any power or to any one save the will of my people and the welfare of my country.
The wishes of my people were not consulted as to this change of government, and only those who were in practical rebellion against the constitutional government were allowed to vote upon the question whether the monarchy should exist or not.
To prevent the shedding of the blood of my people, natives and foreigners alike, I opposed armed interference, and quietly yielded to the armed forces brought against my throne, and submitted to the arbitrament of the government of the United States the decision of my rights and those of the Hawaiian people. Since then, as is well known to all, I have pursued the path of peace and diplomatic discussion, and not that of internal strife.
The United States having first interfered in the interest of those founding the government of 1893 upon the basis of revolution, concluded to leave to the Hawaiian people the selection of their own form of government.
This selection was anticipated and prevented by the Provisional Government, who, being possessed of the military and police power of the kingdom, so cramped the electoral privileges that no free expression of their will was permitted to the people who were opposed to them.
By my command and advice the native people and those in sympathy with them were restrained from rising against the government in power."
From: Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen (1898) by Liliuokalani, Queen of Hawaii (1838-1917)
Statement given by Queen Liliuokalani when she was tried for treason.
February 8, 1895
What did the queen think about the Provisional Government? Did she advocate for open rebellion? Why or why not?
"I owed no allegiance to the Provisional Government so established, nor to any power or to any one save the will of my people and the welfare of my country.
The wishes of my people were not consulted as to this change of government, and only those who were in practical rebellion against the constitutional government were allowed to vote upon the question whether the monarchy should exist or not.
To prevent the shedding of the blood of my people, natives and foreigners alike, I opposed armed interference, and quietly yielded to the armed forces brought against my throne, and submitted to the arbitrament of the government of the United States the decision of my rights and those of the Hawaiian people. Since then, as is well known to all, I have pursued the path of peace and diplomatic discussion, and not that of internal strife.
The United States having first interfered in the interest of those founding the government of 1893 upon the basis of revolution, concluded to leave to the Hawaiian people the selection of their own form of government.
This selection was anticipated and prevented by the Provisional Government, who, being possessed of the military and police power of the kingdom, so cramped the electoral privileges that no free expression of their will was permitted to the people who were opposed to them.
By my command and advice the native people and those in sympathy with them were restrained from rising against the government in power."
From: Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen (1898) by Liliuokalani, Queen of Hawaii (1838-1917)
Statement given by Queen Liliuokalani when she was tried for treason.
February 8, 1895
Primary Source #4: Excerpts from Hawaii and Our Future Sea Power by Adm. Alfred T. Mahan.
Citing evidence from the text, where do you think Mahan would stand on the annexation of Hawaii? Do you think the U.S. made the correct choice in annexing Hawaii? Explain your answer.
"Let us now apply these considerations to the Hawaiian group. To any one viewing a map that shows the full extent of the Pacific Ocean, with its shores on either side, two striking circumstances will be apparent immediately. He will see at a glance that the Sandwich Islands stand by themselves, in a state of comparative isolation, amid a vast expanse of sea; and, again, that they form the centre of a large circle whose radius is approximately--and very closely--the distance from Honolulu to San Francisco."
"From the foregoing considerations may be inferred the importance of the Hawaiian Islands as a position powerfully influencing the commercial and military control of the Pacific, and especially of the Northern Pacific, in which the United States, geographically, has the strongest right to assert herself."
The Interest of America in Sea Power,
Present and Future, by A. T. Mahan
Citing evidence from the text, where do you think Mahan would stand on the annexation of Hawaii? Do you think the U.S. made the correct choice in annexing Hawaii? Explain your answer.
"Let us now apply these considerations to the Hawaiian group. To any one viewing a map that shows the full extent of the Pacific Ocean, with its shores on either side, two striking circumstances will be apparent immediately. He will see at a glance that the Sandwich Islands stand by themselves, in a state of comparative isolation, amid a vast expanse of sea; and, again, that they form the centre of a large circle whose radius is approximately--and very closely--the distance from Honolulu to San Francisco."
"From the foregoing considerations may be inferred the importance of the Hawaiian Islands as a position powerfully influencing the commercial and military control of the Pacific, and especially of the Northern Pacific, in which the United States, geographically, has the strongest right to assert herself."
The Interest of America in Sea Power,
Present and Future, by A. T. Mahan