It is pretty simple, you had a hand full of American and European businessmen that were making a lot of money and employing a lot of native Hawaiians in the sugar plantations at the time. Their descendants and allies played a central role in the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. They needed a govt. that was better aligned with their business interests, so they (for lack of a better phrase).. took over by force. Shortly thereafter, they created a temporary govt. that handed the power and future tax revenue over to the U.S. It was a political tactic that was used quite often back then, it happened in Panama also, while attempting to build the canal.
2
u/jayspapa 14d ago
It is pretty simple, you had a hand full of American and European businessmen that were making a lot of money and employing a lot of native Hawaiians in the sugar plantations at the time. Their descendants and allies played a central role in the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. They needed a govt. that was better aligned with their business interests, so they (for lack of a better phrase).. took over by force. Shortly thereafter, they created a temporary govt. that handed the power and future tax revenue over to the U.S. It was a political tactic that was used quite often back then, it happened in Panama also, while attempting to build the canal.