Final answer:
The annexation of Hawaii was critical for the U.S. to bolster its military strength in the Pacific, providing a naval base at Pearl Harbor for strategic defense, refueling, and resupplying, as well as protecting trade routes.
Step-by-step explanation:
America's initial interest in annexing Hawaii was driven largely by the desire to establish a military port in the Pacific Ocean. A station in Hawaii would significantly strengthen U.S. military capabilities, primarily by providing a strategically located naval base at Pearl Harbor. This location would serve as an essential stopover for refueling and resupplying ships, offer a strategic point of control over shipping routes in the Pacific, and ultimately function as a forward defense outpost to monitor and possibly deter threats from Asia.
The annexation of Hawaii provided the U.S. with a critical midway point between the American mainland and the emerging markets and territories in the Asia-Pacific region. The establishment of a naval base at Pearl Harbor allowed the United States to protect its trade interests, particularly in sugar, and to guard the approaches to any potential canal that might be built in Central America. Moreover, during times of conflict, such as the Spanish-American War and World War II, Hawaii's strategic importance was underscored as it played a central role in the projection of American naval power in the Pacific.