1. Why would the USA want Alaska?

2. Acquiring Alaska “Seward’s Folly”
1867 – S of S William Seward negotiated a treaty with Russia
7 million in exchange for
Alaska
This was an example of
___________.
Expansionism
The czarist government of Russia, which had established a presence in Alaska in the mid-18th century, first approached the United States about selling the territory during the administration of President James Buchanan, but negotiations were stalled by the outbreak of the Civil War. After 1865, Seward, a supporter of territorial expansion, was eager to acquire the tremendous landmass of Alaska, an area roughly one-fifth the size of the rest of the United States. He had some difficulty, however, making the case for the purchase of Alaska before the Senate, which ratified the treaty by a margin of just one vote on April 9, 1867
Gold 1898! Now oil
Russia wanted to sell its Alaskan territory, fearing that it might be seized if war broke out with Britain. Russia's primary activities in the territory had been fur trade and missionary work among the Native Alaskans
many others praised the move for weakening both Britain and Russia as rivals to American commercial expansion in the Pacific region.[2][3] The purchase threatened British control of its Pacific coast colony, giving added impetus to Canadian Confederation, which was realized just three months later, in July 1867
Fisherman – seal skins!

3. Taking Hawaii Location, location, location Missionaries
Money interests
Sugar trade – plantation owners white Americans
Independent monarchy
The native people
As ships crossed the vast ocean to trade in Asia, islands in the Pacific became important stops for coal, provisions, and repairs. In the South Pacific, the American navy negotiated with awestruck natives for the rights to build bases on the islands of Midway and Samoa. The Hawaiian Islands, which lie closest to the American mainland, had long been an important stop for the Pacific fleet. Pearl Harbor, on the island of Oahu, offered one of the most attractive natural bases in the Pacific.
(Kanaka) native people
1875 no duty on Hawaiian sugar
1887 king forced to grant voting
rights to only wealthy landowners
1887 U.S. gained rights to Pearl Harbor

4. One early visitor described...
The ease with which the Hawaiians on their own land can secure their food supply has undoubtably interfered with their social and industrial advancement [It] relieves the native from any struggle and unfits him for sustained competition with men from other lands. The fact that food is supplied by nature takes from the native all desire for the acquisition of more land. Today's food can be had for the picking, and tomorrow's as well. Instead of grasping all he can get, he divides with his neighbor, and confidently expects his neighbor to divide with him.
Nice, right…?

5. American Interests in Hawaii
American missionaries go to Hawaii to convert people
American businessmen buy land in Hawaii
Sugar plantations
1875 treaty allows Hawaiian sugar to be sold “duty free” to USA
King K asked for it!
Americans build warehouses, railroads, stores, et cetera
What seems to have happened?
Notice time period – gilded age about business men.. Seems like took over economcy
As the Islands' sugar industry grew, large numbers of contract laborers were imported first from China, then from Japan and other countries, to work on the plantations -- the beginning of Hawai`i's present multicultural population. Plantation ownership and control of the business community were in the hands of men of American or European blood.

6. Americans start to control Hawaii
1887 King Kalakaua amends the constitution
Council had all the power
gives voting rights to wealthy landowners ONLY
Gives USA naval base at Pearl Harbor
What has happened?
Did not want to renew tariff bc would have to give PH – refused – Hawaiian League and citizen milita drafted new dconstitution went to his office and at gun point made him sign it – bayonnet constitution
In 1887, during the reign of Lili`uokalani' s brother, King Kalakaua, a group of planters and businessmen, seeking to control the kingdom politically as well as economically, formed a secret organization, the Hawaiian League. Membership (probably never over 400, compared to the 40,000 Native Hawaiians in the kingdom) was predominantly American, including several missionary descendants. Organizer and fire brand of the league was Lorrin A. Thurston, a lawyer and missionary grandson, who would later be a leader in the overthrow of the monarchy, with many of the same men.
The league's more radical members favored the king's abdication -- one even proposed assassination -- but cooler heads prevailed. They would allow the king to remain on the throne with his power sharply limited by a new constitution of their making. Dethroning him would be a last resort, if he refused to comply. Many Hawaiian League members belonged to a volunter militia, the Honolulu Rifles, which was officially in service to the Hawaiian government, but was secretly the league's military arm.
Kalakaua was compelled to accept a new Cabinet composed of league members, who presented their constitution to him for his signature at `Iolani Palace. The reluctant king argued and protested, but finally signed the document, which became known as the Bayonet Constitution
He figure head cabinet had all power
In 1889 a young part-Hawaiian named Robert W. Wilcox staged an uprising to overthrow the Bayonet Constitution. He led some 80 men, Hawaiians and Europeans, with arms purchased by the Chinese, in a predawn march to `Iolani Palace with a new constitution for Kalakaua to sign. The king was away from the palace, and the Cabinet called out troops who forcibly put down the insurrection. Tried for conspiracy, Wilcox was found not guilty by a jury of Native Hawaiians, who considered him a folk hero.
On Jan. 20, 1891, King Kalakaua died of kidney disease at age 54.
"Little was left to the imagination of the hesitating and unwilling sovereign, as to what he might expect in the event of his refusal to comply with the demands made upon him."

7. Hawaiian “Revival”
1890 McKinley Tariff = now there is a high duty on sugar
1891 Queen Lil takes over the thrown
“Hawaii for Hawaiians”
Creates a new constitution
“Treasonous”
.ind.overthrow/the-overthrow-of-queen-liliuokalani/
1840s (most sugar plantations were owned by Americans & was very profitable because there was no tariff on sugar from Hawaii)
1840 a constitutional monarchy was established, stripping the Hawaiian monarch of much of his authority. Four years later, Sanford B. Dole was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to American parents.
Thurston went to Washington to promote annexation, and received an encouraging message from President Benjamin Harrison: "You will find an exceedingly sympathetic administration here."
The queen addressed the guests in the throne room, and the crowd on the palace grounds, telling them that she was ready to promulgate a new constitution, but yielding to the advice of her ministers, was postponing it to some future day.
The American warship USS Boston was in port at Honolulu Harbor. With an eye toward landing troops, Lorrin Thurston and two others called upon the American minister in Hawai`i, John L. Stevens, an avowed annexationist. Stevens assured them he would not protect the queen, and that he would land troops from the Boston if necessary "to protect American lives and property." He also said that if the revolutionaries were in possession of government buildings and actually in control of the city, he would recognize their provisional government.
turning point in U.S.-Hawaiian relations occurred in 1890, when Congress approved the McKinley Tariff, which raised import rates on foreign sugar. Hawaiian sugar planters were now being undersold in the American market, and as a result, a depression swept the islands. The sugar growers, mostly white Americans, knew that if Hawaii were to be annexed by the United States, the tariff problem would naturally disappear. Under King Kalakaua - Americans had a lot of power
1875 no duty on Hawaiian sugar
1887 king forced to grant voting
rights to only wealthy landowners
1887 U.S. gained rights to Pearl Harbor
Hawaiian sugar had to compete with other sugar growers, especially Cuba
At the same time, the new Queen was upset with growing American power in Hawaii and wanted to restore Hawaii to its native people Liliuokalani, the sister of the late King Kalakaua, ascended to the throne, refusing to recognize the constitution of 1887 and replacing it with a constitution increasing her personal authority.
Without Presidential approval, marines stormed the islands, and the American minister to the islands raised the stars and stripes in Honolulu.

8. Americans Get Aggressive
1893, planters uprising overthrow Lil
Coup & marines stormed the islands
Lil steps down
The provisional government
Sanford Dole (President)
raised stars and stripes in Honolulu.
1894 ask Cleveland to annex
Cleveland refuses but does recognize
government
Planters justify bc constitution shows she wants to change things (treasonous…. Ironic) – american ambassador to Hawaii asks for Marines bc said internal turmoil and milllions American money invested in Hawaii need to protect it – American gov’t says okay Ben Harrison in favor annexation – Cleveland shelves it – does some research finds ridicoulous & tells Dole give back to Queen Lil – refuses to and even gets ready if Cleveland sends troops – which he does not – instead gives to congress who does not do anything but recognize gov’t McKinley president & pro annexation
In January 1893, a revolutionary “Committee of Safety,” organized by Sanford B. Dole, staged a coup against Queen Liliuokalani with the tacit support of the United States. On February 1, Minister John Stevens recognized Dole’s new government on his own authority and proclaimed Hawaii a U.S. protectorate. Dole submitted a treaty of annexation to the U.S. Senate, but most Democrats opposed it, especially after it was revealed that most Hawaiians did want annexation.
Lil on hou
New President: Grover Cleveland – opposed & withdrew annexation treaty
Dole, “no right to meddle”
July 4, 1894: Republic of Hawaii
Skirmishes and martial law
US people favored annexation
1896: McKinley & Spanish American War 1898
July 1898: Hawaii becomes territory USA – what changed????
se arrest

9. The Road to Annexation 1897 McKinley becomes president
1898 Spanish-American War
1898 Hawaii is annexed by USA
Why? What changes?
Annex jount resolution of congress bc senate treaty too many vote
Grover Cleveland, had reservations about taking over an independent country. He withdrew the treaty and sent a special commissioner to Hawaii to investigate the revolution. The commissioner reported that Minister Stevens had conspired with a small group of revolutionaries to overthrow the government. Cleveland replaced Stevens with a new minister and tried to restore Liliuokalani to the throne.
Within two weeks, they completely suppressed the uprising and captured its followers, including Queen Liliuokalani. The prisoners were tried for treason. Liliuokalani was forced to sign a document in which she finally renounced all claims to the throne.
The "ex-"queen died due to complications from a stroke in 1917.
Union 1959
William McKinley

10. Grover Cleveland William McKinley Sanford Dole
                                                       
Grover Cleveland
William McKinley
Pres. Cleveland wanted the queen restored to power.
Dole refused to give up power.
Cleveland recognized the Republic of Hawaii, but refused to annex Hawaii.
Sanford Dole

11. “The New Temptation on the Mount: “ Behold all this I will give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” A “World- Wide Empire” including Hawaii and the Philippines, is offered on the horizon.