The Acquisition of Hawaii: Who Benefited the Most?

Who benefited from the acquisition of Hawaii?

The United States and American businessmen, particularly in the sugar industry, benefited from the acquisition of Hawaii. Discuss further details about the benefits and impacts.

Answer:

The United States and American businessmen, particularly in the sugar industry, benefited from the acquisition of Hawaii, while native Hawaiian people faced loss of sovereignty and cultural suppression.

The acquisition of Hawaii mainly benefited the American businessmen, especially those in the sugar industry, as well as the United States government which sought strategic military advantage and economic expansion. By 1890, the Hawaiian sugar industry had become largely dependent on the American market. The McKinley Tariff imposed in the same year, however, placed duties on sugar imports to the U.S., straining the Hawaiian economy. This led to the eventual annexation of Hawaii in 1898, during the Spanish-American War, to the benefit of American planters, as their sugar was no longer taxed as a foreign import.

This shift allowed the U.S. to establish a Naval base at Pearl Harbor, significantly increasing American military presence in the Pacific. Additionally, American settlers continued to arrive, bringing with them diseases that decimated the native Hawaiian population, leading to further economic and political control over the islands by the U.S.

While the United States and its business interests gained considerably, the native Hawaiian people suffered loss of sovereignty, land, and cultural suppression, which were further entrenched with the formal annexation in 1898.

The acquisition of Hawaii by the United States benefited American businessmen, specifically those involved in the lucrative sugar industry. In the late 19th century, American planters dominated the sugar production in Hawaii. Through reciprocal trade agreements, they were able to export their sugar to the United States tariff-free, giving them a competitive advantage. The annexation of Hawaii in 1898 ensured that their sugar would no longer be taxed as a foreign import, further benefiting the American planters.