July 7
United States Annexes Hawaiian Islands by Resolution
President William McKinley signed the Newlands Resolution on July 7, 1898, annexing the Hawaiian Islands to the United States by joint act of Congress.
Summary
In the late 19th century, the Hawaiian Kingdom faced increasing American economic influence through sugar plantations and missionary descendants, culminating in the 1893 overthrow of Queen Liliʻuokalani by pro-annexation forces. After years of political maneuvering and a failed treaty attempt, the U.S. Congress passed the Newlands Resolution on July 7, 1898, which President William McKinley signed into law. The joint resolution bypassed the need for a two-thirds Senate treaty vote and formally transferred sovereignty of the islands to the United States. Hawaii became a U.S. territory in 1900, ending the independent monarchy. This action reflected broader U.S. imperial ambitions in the Pacific amid the Spanish-American War.
Context
By the late nineteenth century, American missionaries, merchants, and sugar planters had become deeply embedded in Hawaiian society and economy. A reciprocity treaty signed in 1875 granted Hawaiian sugar duty-free access to the U.S. market, fueling plantation expansion while increasing American political leverage over the islands. In 1887 a group of American and European residents forced King Kalākaua to accept a new constitution that sharply curtailed monarchical power and voting rights for Native Hawaiians.
What Happened
After Queen Liliʻuokalani ascended the throne in 1891, she sought to restore aspects of traditional authority. On January 17, 1893, a Committee of Safety led by Sanford B. Dole, with the backing of U.S. Minister John L. Stevens and a detachment of Marines from the USS Boston, overthrew the monarchy and established a provisional government. The new regime declared a republic in 1894 and repeatedly petitioned for annexation, but President Grover Cleveland rejected the effort. When the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898, strategic arguments for a Pacific naval base gained urgency. Representative Francis G. Newlands of Nevada introduced a joint resolution in the House; it passed on June 15 by a vote of 209 to 91. The Senate approved the measure on July 6 by 42 to 21, and McKinley signed it into law the following day.
Aftermath
The resolution accepted the cession of sovereignty offered by the Republic of Hawaii and placed the islands under U.S. authority. Formal transfer ceremonies occurred in Honolulu on August 12, 1898, when the Hawaiian flag was lowered and the American flag raised over ʻIolani Palace. In 1900 Congress organized the Territory of Hawaii, and President McKinley appointed Sanford Dole its first governor.
Legacy
Annexation secured Pearl Harbor as a major naval station and integrated Hawaii into America’s expanding Pacific presence. The islands remained a territory until 1959, when they achieved statehood. The events of 1893 and 1898 continue to shape debates over Native Hawaiian sovereignty, land rights, and the legacy of U.S. expansion in the Pacific.
Why It Matters
Annexation integrated Hawaii into the U.S. economic and military sphere, providing a key naval base at Pearl Harbor and paving the way for statehood in 1959. It exemplified late-19th-century American expansionism and altered Pacific power dynamics, with lasting effects on Hawaiian culture and governance.
Related Questions
Why did Congress use a joint resolution instead of a treaty to annex Hawaii?
A treaty required a two-thirds Senate majority, which supporters could not secure; a joint resolution needed only simple majorities in both houses.
What role did the Spanish-American War play in annexation?
The war highlighted Hawaii’s strategic value as a coaling and naval station in the Pacific, tipping congressional support toward immediate annexation.
Who led the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy?
Sanford B. Dole and the Committee of Safety, backed by U.S. Minister John L. Stevens and Marines from the USS Boston.
When did Hawaii become a U.S. state?
Hawaii was admitted as the 50th state on August 21, 1959, after nearly six decades as a territory.
Did Native Hawaiians support annexation?
Large-scale petitions organized by Queen Liliʻuokalani in 1897 showed that a majority of Native Hawaiians opposed annexation, though the Republic of Hawaii formally consented.
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Sources
- July 7 - Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed 2026-07-01.
- Hawaiian Islands annexed by the United States, Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed 2026-07-01.