The 1897 Petition against the Annexation of Hawaii. Teaching with Documents.

In 1893 the last monarch of Hawaii, Queen Lili'uokalani, was overthrown by a party of U.S. businessmen, who then imposed a provisional government. Soon after, U.S. President Benjamin Harrison submitted a treaty to annex the Hawaiian Islands to the U.S. Senate for ratification. In 1897, the treaty effort was blocked when the Hawaiian Patriotic League, composed of native Hawaiians, successfully petitioned the U.S. Congress in opposition of the treaty. But with the explosion of the U.S. Maine in February 1898, signaling the start of the Spanish American War, establishing a mid-Pacific fueling station and naval base became a strategic imperative for the United States. The Hawaiian Islands were the clear choice, and in July 1898, a joint resolution passed in Congress and Hawaii was officially annexed by the U.S. This lesson plan is based on two primary source documents from the "1897 Petition against the Annexation of Hawaii": (1) "Page 6 of Men's Petition against Annexation of Hawaii, September 11, 1897"; and (2) "Page 22 of Women's Petition against Annexation of Hawaii, September 11, 1897." The lesson plan provides the documents; covers the historical background; addresses standards and cross-curricular connections; suggests diverse teaching activities; and offers a written document analysis worksheet. (BT)