Why did the US annex Hawaii in 1898?

The choice that highlights the U.S. annexation of Hawaii in 1898 as a means to gain a strategic military base and increase economic ties is accurate due to a combination of geopolitical and economic motivations. By the late 19th century, Hawaii had become increasingly significant to the United States as a coaling station and port for naval ships, particularly for the Pacific fleet. The establishment of a military presence in Hawaii was seen as crucial for asserting U.S. power in the Pacific and ensuring control in a region increasingly threatened by European imperial ambitions.

Additionally, sugar trade played a pivotal role in the economic aspects of the annexation. American planters had considerable investments in Hawaiian agriculture, particularly in sugar production, and they sought to benefit from tariff exemptions that were possible through annexation. This would improve their competitiveness against foreign sugar producers and solidify economic ties between Hawaii and the mainland U.S.

Overall, the U.S. annexed Hawaii not just for military purposes but also to solidify economic interests, making this choice the most comprehensive representation of the motivations behind the annexation.