Title: Why did some Americans think the United States should take control of Hawaii? - eNotes.com
Headings: Why did some Americans think the United States should take control of Hawaii?
Annexation of Hawaii
Why did some Americans think the United States should take control of Hawaii?
Expert Answers
We’ll help your grades soar

Content: The island's Constitution of 1887 restricted the powers of the king/queen, giving white landowners more dominance. When Queen Lili'uokalani was overthrown in 1893, the white-led Provisional Government took over, establishing the Republic of Hawaii. The islands were later annexed and became a U.S. territory in 1898. No doubt the islands' strategic location between Asia and the U.S. Pacific Coast was an important reason for America's interest. Approved by eNotes Editorial Team
Isabell Schimmel
Educator since 2012
35,413 answers
Top subjects are History, Literature, and Social Sciences
| Certified Educator
Page Citation
Share Link
There were at least three major reasons for wanting to take control of the Hawaiian Islands in the late 1800s. First, there was the desire for military power. This was the age of Alfred Thayer Mahan and the idea that naval bases were the way to project power over long distances. Many Americans felt that a base in the Hawaiian Islands would help give the US control of the central Pacific. Second, there was the desire for economic power. There were many Americans who wanted the resources of the Hawaiian Islands.