Final answer:
Annexationists in Hawai'i, driven by the economic interests of American sugar plantation owners and the threat of Queen Liliuokalani's proposed constitution to their political power, led the overthrow of the Hawaiian government. The U.S. military's support ensured the provisional government's success, which facilitated the eventual annexation of Hawai'i by the United States in 1898.
Step-by-step explanation:
Annexationists in Hawai'i plotted the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian government for several reasons, primarily economic and political. Economic interests were a significant driver behind the coup, as many Americans had established lucrative sugar plantations in Hawai'i. The McKinley Tariff of 1890 created economic instability for these American sugar plantation owners by imposing taxes on Hawaiian sugar, which was considered a foreign import.
Annexation to the United States would eliminate these tariffs, significantly benefiting the plantation owners. Politically, the Hawaiians sought to regain sovereignty and self-determination through Queen Liliuokalani's proposed constitution, which threatened the political power of American and European residents in Hawai'i.
Queen Liliuokalani's effort to restore voting rights to Native Hawaiians and diminish American influence alarmed the U.S. businessmen and ultimately led to the forced abdication of the queen.
The U.S. military's backing of the coup effectively ensured the establishment of a provisional government and paved the way for eventual American annexation. Additionally, the strategic importance of Hawai'i became evident during the Spanish-American War, prompting the U.S. to annex the islands officially in 1898.
The fate of the Hawaiian kingdom was sealed by the intertwining of the sugar industry's interests, the American businessmen's desire for political control, and the strategic military value of the islands to the United States. This resulted in the dissolution of the Hawaiian monarchy and the eventual annexation of Hawai'i, fundamentally altering the islands' political landscape and impacting the native Hawaiian population.