Groups Pushing for Greater U.S. Presence in Hawaii

Several American interest groups advocated for expanded influence in Hawaii during the 19th and early 20th centuries:

• Businessmen – Saw a market for goods and investment opportunities.
• Missionaries – Aimed to spread Christianity among Native Hawaiians.
• Naval Officers – Valued Pearl Harbor as a strategic Pacific base.
• Settlers – Desired fertile land for agriculture.
• Sugar Planters – Sought ideal climate and labor for cane production.
• Imperialists – Viewed Hawaii as a stepping stone for broader Pacific dominance.

These converging interests culminated in the 1898 annexation.