Final answer:
The annexation of Hawaii was delayed due to the U.S. Senate's concerns, President Cleveland's opposition, and resistance from Native Hawaiians. It was not until the Spanish-American War and President McKinley's direct efforts that Hawaii was annexed by passing a resolution. Strategic considerations and the interests of American planters also played significant roles in the annexation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reasons for Delay in the Annexation of Hawaii
The annexation of Hawaii to the United States was not immediate following the loss of power by Queen Liliuokalani due to various political dynamics and disagreements among U.S. presidents. After the queen was forcefully overthrown in 1893, a treaty of annexation was proposed by the provisional government led by Sanford B. Dole but was delayed due to the U.S. Senate's concerns about the legitimacy of the new government.
President Grover Cleveland opposed annexation, viewing the overthrow as illegal and an act of war against the native Hawaiians. It was not until the Spanish-American War highlighted Hawaii's strategic importance and President William McKinley pushed for annexation via a resolution, rather than a treaty, that Hawaii was finally annexed in 1898.
Negative views on annexation persisted, including petitions from nearly every native resident and opposition from anti-imperialist senator George Frisbie Hoar. However, the urgency of wartime needs and the simple majority vote made annexation possible. Hawaii's strategic location played a significant role in this decision, as it served as a midpoint between the U.S. mainland and Spanish Philippines, and later became pivotal for access to Asian markets and U.S. military operations.
Annexation was further complicated by the interests of American planters in Hawaii who, threatened by the queen's attempts to restore power to native Hawaiians, staged a coup with the help of U.S. military forces under Ambassador John L. Stevens. The republic established afterward sought annexation to protect its economic interests, aligning with the U.S. goal of expansion across the Pacific. The annexation of Hawaii set the islands on a path to eventual statehood in 1959.