Which sentence states one of the primary reasons why the U.S. government approved the annexation of Hawaii?

Answer 1

The United States passed the resolution to annex Hawaii in 1900, only three years after voting against a similar resolution. The change in the meantime was mainly due to the Spanish-American War. Although the Republic of Hawaii was officially neutral, it offered strong support to the U.S. in the Pacific, an act which endeared the people of the U.S. to Hawaii.

Further, the victory of the U.S. in the Spanish American war resulted in imperialist land gains, Philippines and Guam were added to United States territory. Adding Hawaii to the United States was part of this imperialist thirst for more land.

Full text of the annexation act that passed in Congress to add Hawaii:

NEWLANDS RESOLUTION

To Provide for Annexing the Hawaiian Islands tothe United States.

     Whereas the Government of the Republicof Hawaii having, in due form, signified its consent, in the manner providedby its constitution, to cede absolutely and without reserve to the UnitedStates of America all rights of sovereignty of whatsoever kind in and overthe Hawaiian Islands and their dependencies, and also to cede and transferto the United States the absolute fee and ownership of all public, Government,or Crown lands, public buildings or edifices, ports, harbors, militaryequipment, and all other public property of every kind and descriptionbelonging to the Government of the Hawaiian Islands, together with everyright and appurtenance thereunto appertaining; Therefore

     Resolved by the Senate and House ofRepresentatives of the United States of America in Congress Assembled,That said cession is accepted, ratified, and confirmed, and that the saidHawaiian Islands and their dependencies be, and they are hereby, annexedas a part of the territory of the United States and are subject to thesovereign dominion thereof, and that all and singular the property andrights hereinbefore mentioned are vested in the United States of America.

     The existing laws of the United Statesrelative to public lands shall not apply to such lands in the HawaiianIslands; but the Congress of the United States shall enact special lawsfor their management and disposition: Provided, That all revenuefrom or proceeds of the same, except as regards such part thereof as maybe used or occupied for the civil, military, or naval purposes of the UnitedStates, or may be assigned for the use of the local government, shall beused solely for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Hawaiian Islandsfor educational and other public purposes.

     Until Congress shall provide for the governmentof such islands all the civil, judicial, and military powers exercisedby the officers of the existing government in said islands shall be vestedin such person or persons and shall be exercised in such manner as thePresident of the United States shall direct; and the President shall havethe power to remove said officers and fill the vacancies so occasioned.

     The existing treaties of the HawaiianIslands with foreign nations shall forthwith cease and determine, beingreplaced by such treaties as may exist, or as may be hereafter concluded,between the United States and such foreign nations. The municipal legislationof the Hawaiian Islands, not enacted for the fulfillment of the treatiesso extinguished, and not inconsistent with this joint resolution nor contraryto the Constitution of the United States nor to any existing treaty ofthe United States, shall remain in force until the Congress of the UnitedStates shall otherwise determine.

     Until legislation shall be enacted extendingthe United States customs laws and regulations to the Hawaiian Islandsthe existing customs relations of the Hawaiian Islands with the UnitedStates and other countries shall remain unchanged.

     The public debt of the Republic of Hawaii,lawfully existing at the date of the passage of this joint resolution,including the amounts due to depositors in the Hawaiian Postal SavingsBank, is hereby assumed by the Government of the United States; but theliability of the United States in this regard shall in no case exceed fourmillion dollars. So long, however, as the existing Government and the presentcommercial relations of the Hawaiian Islands are continued as hereinbeforeprovided said Government shall continue to pay the interest on said debt.

     There shall be no further immigrationof Chinese into the Hawaiian Islands, except upon such conditions as arenow or may hereafter be allowed by the laws of the United States; no Chinese,by reason of anything herein contained, shall be allowed to enter the UnitedStates from the Hawaiian Islands.

     The President shall appoint five commissioners,at least two of whom shall be residents of the Hawaiian Islands, who shall,as soon as reasonably practicable, recommend to Congress such legislationconcerning the Hawaiian Islands as they shall deem necessary or proper.

     SEC. 2. That the commissioners hereinbeforeprovided for shall be appointed by the President, by and with the adviceand consent of the Senate.

     SEC. 3. That the sum of one hundred thousanddollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary; is hereby appropriated,out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and to beimmediately available, to be expended at the discretion of the Presidentof the United States of America, for the purpose of carrying this jointresolution into effect.

1.                               SEREXOE. PAYNE,
2. Speaker of the House of Representatives Pro Tempore.
3.                              GARRETTA. HOBART,
4. Vice-President of the United States and President of the Senate.