Newlands Resolution facts for kids
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| Long title | Joint Resolution to Provide for Annexing the Hawaiian Islands to the United States (1898) |
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| Enacted by | the 55th United States Congress |
| Effective | July 7, 1898 |
| Citations | |
| Statutes at Large | 30 Stat. 750 |
| Legislative history | |
The Newlands Resolution was an important decision made by the United States Congress on July 7, 1898. This resolution officially made the independent Republic of Hawaii a part of the United States. This process is called annexation. Two years later, in 1900, Congress created the Territory of Hawaii, which was a step towards Hawaii becoming a U.S. state much later.
This resolution was named after Representative Francis G. Newlands from Nevada. Bringing Hawaii into the U.S. was a big and debated topic at the time.
Contents
The Newlands Resolution: Hawaii Joins the U.S.
How Hawaii Became Part of the United States
In 1897, U.S. President William McKinley tried to make Hawaii a part of the United States with a special agreement called a treaty. However, this treaty did not get enough votes in the Senate, so it didn't become law.
A year later, in April 1898, the U.S. began a war with Spain, known as the Spanish–American War. Even though Hawaii officially said it was neutral, the Hawaiian government helped the American forces. Hawaii's capital, Honolulu, became an important stopping point for U.S. troops traveling across the Pacific Ocean. This showed how valuable Hawaii was as a naval base during wartime.
Because Hawaii was so helpful and important strategically, the idea of making it part of the U.S. gained more support. Instead of a treaty, Congress used a different method called a joint resolution. This type of resolution needed only a simple majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, not the two-thirds majority required for a treaty.
The Newlands Resolution passed the House of Representatives with 209 votes for and 91 against. It then passed the Senate with 42 votes for and 21 against. President McKinley approved and signed it on July 7, 1898.
The Annexation Ceremony and Reactions
On August 12, 1898, a special ceremony took place at ʻIolani Palace in Hawaii. This event marked the official transfer of Hawaii's independence to the United States. During the ceremony, the Hawaiian flag was lowered, and the American flag was raised.
However, many Hawaiians were very sad and upset about this change. Queen Liliʻuokalani, who was the last monarch of Hawaii, sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives. She protested the annexation, saying that her kingdom had been taken unfairly and that she wanted control returned to the native Hawaiian people. None of Hawaii's former leaders attended the ceremony.
One historical account describes the mood: "An event of this magnitude would ordinarily call for gala celebrations that night. However, there were no celebrations as there was too much sadness, too much bitterness and resentment prevalent in the atmosphere and the authorities were afraid of riots by the unhappy frustrated Hawaiians." This shows that many local people felt a deep sense of loss.
Planning for Hawaii's Future
After the annexation, a group of five people was chosen to figure out what laws Hawaii would need as a U.S. territory. This group included important figures like Sanford B. Dole, who became Hawaii's first territorial governor.
Their report led to a long discussion in Congress. One concern was that creating an elected government in Hawaii might lead to it becoming a state with a majority of non-white citizens. The annexation also allowed for duty-free trade between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland. This had largely been set up earlier by King David Kalakaua in 1875, who also gave the U.S. Navy a long-term lease for Pearl Harbor as a naval base.
The annexation of Hawaii was a big moment in its history. It meant that Hawaii's independence, or sovereignty, was ending. Many native Hawaiians were against this change. There was no public vote, or referendum, to ask the people of Hawaii if they wanted to join the U.S.
Between September and October 1897, two groups, Hui Aloha 'Aina and Hui Kulai'aina, gathered over 21,000 signatures on a "Petition Against Annexation." This was more than half of the native Hawaiian population at the time. Today, the Hawaiian sovereignty movement continues to question if Hawaii's annexation was legal under the United States Constitution. However, U.S. courts have generally recognized the legality of the Newlands Resolution.
The Cost of Annexation
When Hawaii became part of the U.S., the United States took on $4 million of Hawaii's existing debt.
According to a study in 2009 by David R. Barker from the University of Iowa, Hawaii has been financially beneficial for the U.S. He found that the tax money collected from Hawaii has almost always been more than the money spent there, not including defense costs. He estimated that the annexation had a very good financial return for the country.
Learn More
- Hawaiian Organic Act: This law was approved in 1900. It set up the government for the new Territory of Hawaii, building on the Newlands Resolution.
See also
In Spanish: Anexión de Hawái para niños
