Why did the United States annex Hawaii? Why did the United States become involved in wars with Spain and its (former) colonies?

by jrsteve77 (student)

Essay #5

During the 19th century, the United States was trying to emerge as a global power by expanding its sphere of influence, politically and economically. It emphasized on expanding its territories beyond the boundaries. National interests, ideology, and strategic interests fueled this advancement. This is the main factor that helped America to become the biggest economy, by investing business interests in other countries. One of the most beneficial and significant colonization made by America was the annexation of Hawaii in 1989. Throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries, the United States has been fearful of foreign influences in the Western Hemisphere. This insecurity also led to the war against Spanish.

Hawaii was annexed to the United States in 1898 when Queen Liliuokalani tried to restore the power of monarchy after the death of King Kalakaua. This would mean less US’s influence on Hawaii. One reason was because Hawaii played an important role in the interest of US’s economy. In 1790s, US began engaging with Hawaii in trading for local resources. In the 1850s, sugar production began to rapidly surpass the whaling industry as Hawaii’s main source of economic income. As a result, the economic ties between the US and Hawaii grew closer. At the same time, US were extremely suspicious ...

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Similarly, United States got involved in wars with Spain and its former colonies for the main reasons of nationalism and commercialism. Cuba was under the control of Spain during that period. The war erupted between the US and Spain when US tried to free Cuba from Spain’s colonies and gaining independence for Cuba and the Philippines. On the bigger image, US went to war with Spain because Cuba and the Philippines are lying in its interest as US depended greatly on these two nations for business and trading with other countries especially in Asia and Latin America. Another major reason that motivates the war was because United States wanted to spread its Anglo-Saxon culture around the world and emerge as a worldwide power. Fighting also broke out in the later stage between American troops and Filipino nationalists led by Emilio Aguinaldo who sought independence rather than a change in colonial rulers.

In general, US went to all these wars due to one main reason of expanding its economic and securing national interest while trying to the global power. It would have been a very different United States if it had decided not to take these actions because Hawaii is located in the strategic ground for military purposes, so as the Philippines which is an important ally in Asia.