Newlands Resolution

Newlands Resolution
Frank Davey · Public domain · source
Short title	Newlands Resolution
Long title	Joint Resolution to Provide for Annexing the Hawaiian Islands to the United States
Enacted by	United States Congress
Date enacted	July 4, 1898
Signed by	William McKinley
Date signed	July 7, 1898

Newlands Resolution. The Newlands Resolution was a Congressional resolution that led to the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands by the United States of America. This resolution was introduced by Francis G. Newlands, a Democratic Representative from Nevada, and was passed by the United States House of Representatives on June 15, 1898, with the support of William McKinley, the President of the United States at the time, and Theodore Roosevelt, who was the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. The resolution was also backed by Henry Cabot Lodge, a prominent Republican Senator from Massachusetts, and Nelson Aldrich, a Republican Senator from Rhode Island.

● Introduction

The Newlands Resolution was a significant event in the history of Hawaii and the United States, marking the beginning of a new era in the relationship between the two entities. The resolution was the result of a long process of negotiation and debate between the United States government and the Kingdom of Hawaii, which had been ongoing since the mid-19th century, involving figures such as King Kamehameha V, King Kalākaua, and Queen Liliuokalani. The resolution was also influenced by the Spanish-American War, which had highlighted the strategic importance of Hawaii as a United States Navy base, and was supported by Alfred Thayer Mahan, a prominent United States Navy strategist, and William Shafter, a United States Army general. Other key figures, including John Hay, the United States Secretary of State, and Elihu Root, the United States Secretary of War, played important roles in the passage of the resolution.

● Background

The background to the Newlands Resolution was complex and involved the interests of various groups, including American businessmen, such as Lorrin Thurston and Sanford Dole, who had significant investments in Hawaii's sugar industry, and Native Hawaiians, who were concerned about the loss of their land and sovereignty, as expressed by Robert Wilcox, a Native Hawaiian leader. The resolution was also influenced by the Treaty of Paris (1898), which had ended the Spanish-American War and marked the emergence of the United States as a global power, with the support of Emilio Aguinaldo, a Filipino leader, and Cecil Rhodes, a British businessman and politician. Other international events, such as the Boxer Rebellion in China and the Boer War in South Africa, also played a role in shaping the context of the resolution, involving figures such as Winston Churchill, a British politician and journalist, and Theodore Dreiser, an American writer.

● Provisions

The Newlands Resolution provided for the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands by the United States and established the terms of the annexation, including the transfer of sovereignty from the Republic of Hawaii to the United States, with the support of William Howard Taft, the Governor-General of the Philippines, and Elihu Root, the United States Secretary of War. The resolution also provided for the establishment of a United States territorial government in Hawaii, which would be responsible for governing the islands, and was influenced by the Foraker Act, which had established a similar government in Puerto Rico, with the involvement of Orville Platt, a Republican Senator from Connecticut. The resolution was signed into law by William McKinley on July 7, 1898, and was implemented with the support of George Dewey, a United States Navy admiral, and Wesley Merritt, a United States Army general.

● Impact

The impact of the Newlands Resolution was significant, both for Hawaii and the United States. The annexation of Hawaii marked the beginning of a new era in the relationship between the two entities, with Hawaii becoming a United States territory and eventually a state in 1959, with the support of Daniel Inouye, a Democratic Senator from Hawaii, and Spark Matsunaga, a Democratic Senator from Hawaii. The resolution also had significant implications for the Native Hawaiian people, who lost their sovereignty and land, and were forced to adapt to a new system of government, as expressed by Duke Kahanamoku, a Native Hawaiian athlete and politician, and Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, a Native Hawaiian musician. The resolution was also influenced by the Japanese-American relations, with the involvement of Hayashi Tadasu, a Japanese diplomat, and Katsuji Debuchi, a Japanese businessman.

● Legacy

The legacy of the Newlands Resolution is complex and contested, with different perspectives on its impact and significance. Some view the resolution as a positive development, marking the beginning of a new era of cooperation and prosperity between Hawaii and the United States, as expressed by Barack Obama, the President of the United States from 2009 to 2017, and Joe Biden, the President of the United States from 2021 to present. Others, however, view the resolution as a negative development, marking the loss of Native Hawaiian sovereignty and land, and the imposition of a foreign system of government, as expressed by Haunani-Kay Trask, a Native Hawaiian activist and scholar, and Mililani Trask, a Native Hawaiian activist and politician. The resolution has also been the subject of controversy and debate, with some arguing that it was illegal and unconstitutional, and others arguing that it was a necessary step in the development of Hawaii and the United States, involving figures such as John Waihe'e, a Democratic Governor of Hawaii, and Linda Lingle, a Republican Governor of Hawaii.

● Historical Context

The Newlands Resolution must be understood in its historical context, as part of a broader process of United States expansionism and imperialism, involving figures such as James K. Polk, the President of the United States from 1845 to 1849, and William Seward, the United States Secretary of State from 1861 to 1869. The resolution was influenced by the Monroe Doctrine, which had asserted United States dominance in the Americas, and the Open Door Policy, which had marked the beginning of United States involvement in Asia, with the support of John Hay, the United States Secretary of State, and Elihu Root, the United States Secretary of War. The resolution was also part of a broader pattern of colonialism and imperialism, which had characterized the relationships between European powers and indigenous peoples around the world, involving figures such as Cecil Rhodes, a British businessman and politician, and King Leopold II, the King of the Belgians. The resolution has had a lasting impact on the history of Hawaii and the United States, and continues to be the subject of debate and controversy today, with the involvement of Native Hawaiian leaders, such as Robin Danner, a Native Hawaiian activist, and Andrea Pelleschi, a Native Hawaiian artist. Category:United States federal legislation