Why did the United States want Hawaii?

Answer 1

STRATEGIC LOCATION. DEAD SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACIFIC. WITH IN NAVAL REACH OF ANY POINT IN THE PACIFIC. PERFECT NATURAL HARBOR. AND THE PLACE IS A VACATION PARADISE.

Answer 2

Geography. Getting warships to the Far East from California to China and the Far East was too far to respond to any threat to American trading vessels and other interests in the Far East.

Britian had Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore and all the other European States had naval bases near China, India and South East Asian. The United States needed a closer base to Asia in the Pacific, so they took Hawaii, which even though it is only half way across the Pacific, it was the closest territory they could get.

Answer 3

Location

Answer 4

The Hawaiian islands were a pacific prize when the U.S. looked to expand across the seas. American planters and missionaries had thrived there after 1875 when the senate allowed Hawaiian sugar to enter the U.S duty free. In 1881 the secretary of state declared the islands "essentially a part of the American system". Im 1887, under strong pressure, king Kalakaua granted the U.S the rights to build a naval base at pearl harbor to protect American interests in the pacific. In 1893 American sugar planters in Hawaii staged a rebellion, determined to wrest control from Kalakaua's sister, the queen, who had resisted American control. The U.S Marines used a palace coup to remove the queen from power, But it would be another 5 years before the official annexation of Hawaii.

Answer 5

Because of the strategic positioning in the Pacific. Prior to Hawaii we had no really good location to place our Navy for quick response to conflicts in the region. It is centrally located to the US mainland, Alaska and the Aluetians, Japan and Southeast Asia. That's why Midway Island ( Second most Northern of the Hawaiian Island chain) is called 'Midway'.

Answer 6

It is very simple. It was a strategic point and it is one of very few land area in the pacific. During the world war 2 the Hawaiian base helped the US to attack Japan. It is the farthest state of the United States and helps as a trade and military outpost.

Answer 7

Although it eventually became a strategic location, at the time the US acquired Hawaii it was for the sugar cane. Sugar was very expensive at the time because it had to be imported. If the US had territories to grow it, like Puerto Rico and Hawaii, it wouldn't have to import sugar and it would, therefore, drop the price.

Answer 8

it was key for the US military to secure hawaii as our own during WWII. it is one of the only islands in the pacific ocean in that area between the US and Japan and provided a place for troops, ships and other military operations against the Japanese. whomever had that island had a huge advantage over the enemy and the US didn't want the Japanese to have that on us.

the fact that it is sunny and tropical was irrelevent.

Answer 9

The pineapple crop. Dole was powerful enough to convince congress that we should annex it. Over ruling the president who was having a fling with the Queen of Hawaii at the time.
And we wonder why we haven't had a single president since then.

You're right sugar too. Forgot about that one. Poor Liliuokalani, I guess she really was the first Monica.

Answer 10

Because Japan wanted it well before pearl harbor. It was a perfect place for a US military base to defend all it's interests in the Pacific.

Answer 11

A mid-Ocean port for the Navy was the big reason.

The Islands had been a major resupply point for whaling fleets for years. It fits so well with most of the sailing routes.