Overthrow and Annexation of Hawaii History Reaction Paper

Overthrow and Annexation of Hawaii
Name
Institution
Overthrow and Annexation of Hawaii
Introduction
The recent calls for the recognition of the sovereignty of the Hawaiian Islands demand a review of the history behind the formation of the Union’s 50th state. Originally, the Hawaiian Islands followed a monarchical system of governance under the leadership of King Kalakaua, who was later succeeded by Queen Liliuokalani. It was under the leadership of the latter that Hawaii lost its independence and fell into the hands of the imperialist government of the United States. Accounts of the details surrounding the overthrow and annexation of Hawaii provide a comprehensive understanding of the events that transpired leading to the loss of the Hawaiian dream of sovereignty.
Nevertheless, the diverse sources documenting the chronological account of events offer equally distinct versions, owing to the different perspectives held by the authors. Sources such as Shoal of Time by Gavin Gaws and Tom Coffman’s Nation Within The History of the American Occupation of Hawaii are excellent examples of the different point of views on the issue of the overthrow and annexation of Hawaii. A critical analysis of the accounts given by the two authors reveals their resourcefulness and reliability in studying the past historical events leading to the annexation of Hawaii.
Gavin Gaw`s Shoal of Time provides a historical background of the people of Hawaii by defining their social, cultural, political, and economic orientation before and after the influence of both the American and European Christian missionaries. It describes the American immigrants to the Islands as being mainly plantation farmers and the significant role played by the labor movements in shaping up the politics of the time within the Hawaiian Islands. According to the author, the overthrow of the queen and the annexation of the Islands was a result of the height...