Hawaii Imperialism

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“It seems to me that God, with infinite wisdom and skill, is training the Anglo-Saxon race for an hour sure to come in the world’s future. The lands of the earth are limited, and soon will be taken. Then will the world enter upon a new stage in its history- the final competition of the races. Then this race of unequaled energy, with the majesty of numbers and the might of wealth behind it- the representative of the largest liberty, the purest Christianity, the highest civilization... will spread itself over the earth.” –Josiah Strong 1885 The reasons behind the new expansionism that characterized US foreign policy in the 1890s were racism, riotousness, mahanism, and economics. Racism was the idea that whites were superior and should dominate…show more content…
Hawaii was still ruled by a monarchy but the monarch was really only a figurehead. The real power lay with the white landowners and planters that had established sugar plantations on the islands. The white residents of Hawaii pushed the government for annexation. The white landowners of Hawaii executed a coup and overthrew Queen Liliuokalani through the use of a provisional government that did not include a single Hawaiian representative; because she was a staunch supporter of ridding the islands of American influence and restoring Hawaii to its former government. Many Republicans supported the annexation of Hawaii because they saw it as the next step in making the Pacific American controlled. They also cited racial superiority in claiming that the annexation of Hawaii was a fitting reward for the enterprising white settlers and an opportunity to civilize the native Hawaiians. (Goldfield, et al.,…show more content…
He also suggested that the United States build a canal across the Isthmus of Panama to link its coats, set up naval bases in the Caribbean and the Pacific and annex Hawaii to protect the canal and promote trade as well as service the naval ships. Alfred Thayer Mahan wrote the book The Influence of Sea Power upon History which influenced President Theodore Roosevelt and bolstered some of his imperialist ideas. Thayer argued that all great nations possessed strong, powerful navies in order to ensure that their trade routes remained protected. He also stated that colonies would provide much needed coal to support the steam powered ships of the navy. (Goldfield, et al.,
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