Hawaii and the Pacific

Islands

• 1826: first Hawaiian-U.S. Treaty opens trade

- whaling- sugarcane

• 1842: U.S. formally recognizes Hawaiian government

• Provisioning port on journey to China• Christian missionaries among first to settle

- decimation of kapu & language - public schools

- political influence

Early influence

1840’s• Autocracy constitutionalmonarchy with bicameral legislature, Constitution, Bill of Rights

• Prime Minister C.P. Judd

• Great Mahele: right of commoners to purchase land

• Treaty of 1849: privileges for American citizens, economically important

Reciprocity (1875)• Article I: lists goods to be imported to the United States duty-free

sugar, bananas, hides,

castor oil, plants

• Article II: lists goods preferentially imported toHawaii from the U.S.

meats, metals, cotton…• Article IV gives Hawaii exclusivity on special trade

status

Bayonet Constitution• Renewal of Reciprocity Treaty

in 1887 U.S. demands access to Pearl Harbor

• King Kalakaua opposed; led to Bayonet Constitution

• Revision to the Constitution transferring power to his cabinet

• Granted American residents in Hawaii right to vote in elections

• Forced Kalakaua to sign under threat of arms

McKinley Tariff 1890

• Eliminated import taxes• Placed two cent bounty on domestic

sugar• Ruined Hawaii’s advantage

Queen Liliuokalani

• Nationalist Leader• “Hawaii for Hawaiians”• Attempted New Constitution

Overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai’i

• Coup led by Lorrin A. Thurston• Wilson attempted to protect the

Queen• Policeman shot on January 17th 1893

Thurston Wilson

Overthrow Cont.

• Concern for American Residents in Honolulu

• Companies of uniformed and well armed Marines to take up positions throughout Hawaii

• Intimidated monarch not to resist• Public Law 103-105

Change in Hawaii

• 1893 annexation treaty negotiated and sent to Senate by President Benjamin Harrison

• Withdrawn by Grover Cleveland in March --Sent James H. Blount to Hawaii to

investigate

• Provisional Government of Hawaii under Sanford Dole– Sought annexation– Proclaimed Hawaii a republic in 1894

Grover Cleveland

Benjamin Harrison

Provisional Government

Treaty Attempt

• March 1897 new annexation treaty negotiated when Republicans under McKinley returned to power– Rejected by sugar

producers and couldn’t get Senate majority

• Signed and submitted to U.S. Senate for ratification June 16, 1897 by McKinleyWilliam McKinley

Hawaiian Opposition• 1897 treaty effort blocked

by newly-formed Hawaiian Patriotic League – petitioned the U.S. Congress in

opposition of the treaty

• "Petition Against Annexation" signed by 21,269 native Hawaiian people

• left 46 Senators in favor, less than the 2/3 majority needed

Annexation 1898

• Spanish America War 1898 shows strategic necessity of Hawaiian Islands

• July 12, 1898 McKinley signed Newlands Resolution

• Passed in Congress, annexing the islands

1898: A formal ceremony took place on the steps of 'Iolani Palace, where the Hawaiian flag was lowered and an American flag was raised.

Guam

• 1565- Brutal Spanish control• 1898- The Treaty of Paris ceded

Guam to the United States• Naval control benefitted the island

territory as the standard of life improved under the control of Captain Leary

American Samoa

• 1850s- The United States, Germany, and Great Britain showed interest in the settling the islands

• 1878- The US got control of Pago Pago

• 1889- 6 ships sunk in Apia Harbor and the Berlin Act was put into effect

• 1899- The eastern half of the islands was ceded to the United States

Midway

• 18560 The Guano Islands Act granted American citizens the right to cease Midway Atoll

• 1867- William H. Seward acquired the Midway Islands in the hope to expand the naval influence of the US